


Breath of the Void

by PenguinKiwis



Category: Fate/Grand Order, 鬼滅の刃 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Anime), 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba (Manga)
Genre: Again, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Crossover Pairings, F/M, Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga Spoilers, MUSASHI DOES WHAT SHE WANTS TO TOO, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Minor Epic of Remnant Spoilers, Miyamoto Musashi is not a Servant, Miyamoto Musashi | Saber is a dork, Musashi kinda fucks stuff up but its all good, Nezuko is adorable and we love that, Not Beta Read, Oops, Rengoku Kyoujurou Lives, Sanemi is angry and yells a lot, Shuten does what she wants, Shuten makes things violent, Shuten says fuck muzan rights, as expected, but only SOME, but she's very close, i do this a lot when it comes to fate actually, i sorta threw some things out the window because fate is unnecessarily complicated, most likely, possibly?, post Epic of Remnant, rengoku yells tasty, soft nezuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 76,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23131522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenguinKiwis/pseuds/PenguinKiwis
Summary: The appearance of one person can offset an entire timeline. Changes, turns, twists. When that person doesn't exist in history, there's nothing that fate can do to try and 'right' what they have 'wronged' except to just let it happen. This is how timelines change and altered universes are created...Better known as: Musashi messes another timeline up, but in a fantastic way.
Relationships: Rengoku Kyoujurou/ Miyamoto Musashi | Saber
Comments: 101
Kudos: 242





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go guys. This is the first time I've written Kimetsu stuff, so it might start off a bit wonky. You can expect at least one crossover pairing ( you can take a guess, it's kinda obvious ), so if that's not your thing I'm sorry. As with Sagittarius, while I recognize that Servants are arguably more powerful than Demons and Humans, I wanted to keep the balance in power— Musashi is ridiculously powerful, yes, but she's still human in this because I wanted that power balance. This is EoR Musashi, the one who is mostly human, but hasn't died yet and is on the cusp of being a servant. Obviously, because of that, she didn't die in Shimousa, instead was transported elsewhere (Musashi is an Isekai victim?) and since the focus is gonna be on Musashi, moments from Tanjirou's POV are going to be a bit rarer. Remember, Musashi is here to fuck shit up but in a good way, so obviously there's gonna be canon divergence, changes, and good god Shinjuro gets his shit together. Will there be deaths? Probably. But Musashi wants to save as many of her friends as she can. Also Butterfly effect and all that jazz.
> 
> Explanations aside, please enjoy this fanfiction to its fullest! This one will be slower in updates as Sagittarius, but as usual, talk to me! Reviews will be answered and talked about if there's confusion. Now, let's begin!

It had happened in the winter, Kyojuro Rengoku would later remember. He had been on his way back to his estate from a particularly grueling mission when his crow started talking up a storm.

A small mountain village nearby was getting overrun by Demons. Make haste, make haste!

So, despite his exhaustion, the Flame Pillar had taken off towards the east where the mountain village was. It hadn't taken him too long, he thought, but by the time he had gotten there, the village was silent.

The scent of blood strong in the air and his first instinct was to cover his nose, it was so heavy.

The village was very small— no more than seven or eight houses. Blood splattered the ground everywhere and his two-toned eyes gazed over the bodies and limbs strewn about.

Sadly, it was the fate of many smaller villages like such. Ones that the Demon Slayers couldn't get to in time. Kyojuro sighed, rubbing his shoulder as he walked through the village. Doors broken down and splattered with blood weren't unnatural but something caught his eye suddenly as he gazed at one of the walls of one of the houses.

Slash marks.

Made with a sword.

A clattering noise made him startle and his hand flew to the blade at his side. He slowly approached the house that the noise came from, stepping up the broken stairs and peering in. A figure's back was facing his. It looked like a woman from what he could tell, her hair a pale, almost white-tinted pink done up in a type of ponytail with a star-like ornament kept it in place. on her shoulders was a cloak of deep blue and a _kasa_ was sitting next to her. She was sitting at a fire pit and she was moving— eating, maybe?

If she was the only one left, that must mean that she had to be the demon, then.

Kyojuro shifted, silently drawing his sword. First Style would be enough to finish her off if she was unawares. Easy. Then he could get to burying the bodies.

The woman shifted, the only warning he got before he had to bring his sword up to block a strike from her.

Red and gold eyes gazed into a single, blue eye with a magenta ring in the iris— the other eye covered by what appeared to be a _kiku gata_ -shaped _tsuba_. The woman pressed against his blade before she broke away, sheathing hers without a word. She moved back to her previous spot, picking up a bowl of rice that had abandoned on the floor when she had moved.

"So you're not a demon, that's good," was all she said before she sat back down. "Wouldn't do me any good if another one showed up."

Bewilderment flooded his senses as he stared at the woman, who had started to eat again. He could tell from just one strike that she hadn't been using her full strength. And from that, he could easily tell that she wasn't just a woman who picked a sword up in order to defend herself. And considering how he glimpsed the hilts of four others under that cloak of hers, there was no way she was just an ordinary woman in the village.

She hadn't even been grieving for the people, just eating. He moved over to her slowly, blade still drawn as she continued to eat.

"Meaning you're not one either. Can I assume that the demons are—" Kyojuro found himself asking only to be cut off.

"Dead. They weren't much, I'll tell ya, ain't anything like the demons I know. Time must've really gotten to 'em," she said loftily and he raised a brow.

Time?

What was that supposed to mean? He frowned as he glanced around the room.

"If you want to know what happened to the villagers, most were eaten by the demons, the ones who weren't aren't in here," the woman continued, "Only a few bodies left though, I planned on burying them when I finished. Would've been a waste to leave the rice already made to the bugs."

She reached over, a second bowl suddenly in her hands and she held it out to him. He frowned, unsure at first, but he slowly took it from her. The two of them ate in silence before she set her bowl down, empty. He was only half done with his, but he stood when she did. The woman stretched her back out first, before she picked her _kasa_ up, putting it on her head.

"Well, I guess I should start burying the bodies," she hummed before she turned. He scooped his blade up, following her as she stepped outside. She glanced over at him.

"If you're gonna follow me around, buddy, at least go find a shovel," she said before she walked down to the center of the village. Kyojuro's brows knitted together as he watched the woman. She hadn't recognized him, meaning she probably didn't know about Demon Slayers at all, or she just didn't care.

She had killed the demons all by her self, though considering how her reflexes were and the fact that she had five swords on her person, he shouldn't have been surprised. It was still dark, so he wondered how she had dealt with the demons in a manner that allowed her to casually take food from the deceased. He had gotten the message that the attack had been happening not very long before he arrived.

And he was sure he would have remembered hearing about someone who wielded five _nichirin blades_ — or at least, he would have assumed so.

He ended up finding two shovels propped against the side of another house. He grabbed them both before walking over to where the woman was on the outskirts of the village. She had carried what remained of the bodies there, resting them each in a neat row under the pine trees.

No words were exchanged as he tossed her a shovel and she started to dig. he began after her, thinking as he worked.

Should he report her to Oyakata-sama?

She was a bit old to join the final selection, but if she had managed to kill… how many demons were there?

Kyojuro blinked before he glanced at the woman next to him.

"If you don't mind me asking," he started, looking back to the grave he was digging. "How many demons were there?"

She hummed a bit, climbing from the small grave she had dug and walked to the row of bodies before she answered.

"Four," she said, "Two who looked like full adults, one was a kid, and the other was an old man. The kid…" she frowned a bit. "No, never mind. She just dressed oddly. Not as modern for this time. Reminded me of my own. Learned real quick that my blind spot isn't really a blind spot the hard way."

She leaned down, picking up one of the bodies and moving it to the grave. Kyojuro blinked, his smile never wavering as he continued to dig. She didn't seem bothered by the bodies, he noticed, as if she was used to it already.

He wondered what kind of life she had led before. Certainly, it was one of being a warrior, if the five swords weren't a dead give away, the tsuba acting as an eyepatch certainly was.

But that wasn't what had caught his attention. The way she spoke was a bit odd. She mixed in a few older, more formalized words (he only knew them because his father would use them when he wasn't drunk or hungover) along with a few terms he hadn't heard before. Not to mention the constant usage of 'time' when she spoke.

She had said that 'time had gotten to' the demons and that the child demon she fought was dressed more from her own time.

And of course, the fact that she took down four demons so quickly and easily. As far as he knew, none of the blades she had were _nichirin_ ones. It was rare for anyone in the Slayer Corps to use more than one— Uzui and Himejima were odd cases in that regard, especially Himejima and his ball and chain and ax combination.

Kyojuro blinked from his thoughts as the woman snorted suddenly. "Deep enough, for you?" she asked him and he glanced up. He had dug quite a bit deeper than he had planned to as he was lost in his thoughts.

He laughed a bit. "Ah, sorry!" he said, moving out of her way as she placed the body of a young man in it.

"Not a big deal," she said, standing up. He covered the body up before he started on the next one.

By the time the two of them finished, Kyojuro's fingers had started burning from the cold and light snow had started to fall. The woman didn't seem to be bothered, setting the shovels to the side against the closest house before coming back over to the graves. She sent them off with a prayer before she pulled her _kasa_ back up over her head from where it had fallen while they dug.

Kyojuro hummed, looking up as his crow circled above. No missions had come in while they were digging, so either there was no demon activity nearby or Oyakata-sama already knew through that way he always did know.

"I've been meaning to ask," the woman said and he glanced over to her, head tilted as he smiled. "What's a fancy-lookin' guy like you doing all the way out in the middle of here?"

He blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked and she indicated to his sword.

"Last I checked, swords weren't cheap, and you don't strike me as one of those sword-smith types," she explained, "'sides, that Haori of yours looks awfully fancy too. You don't seem like the thief type, too obvious with that hair and your eyes, but hey. I'm not going to judge."

He snorted before he laughed a bit. "No, no you're right. I wouldn't say I'm 'fancy', but I'm not a run-of-the-mill kind of guy! Are you telling me you haven't heard of Demon Slayers even though you know about demons?" he asked gazing back at the woman as she picked at a dried bloodstain.

"Hm? Oh, no, I didn't know that we got a fancy title and all that," she said, "Ah, but different worlds, different rules. I hope I'm not breaking a law for taking out a couple of small fry demons. I mean, the kiddo was weird and had a number printed in its eye, but…" she shrugged and Kyojuro felt his movements freeze up.

A number printed in one of its eyes?

That would make it a Lower Moon Demon?

"You fought a Lower Moon alone?" he blurted, eyes wide as his smile finally fell away to a shocked gasp. The woman turned, brows furrowed as she tilted her head.

"I mean, yeah? I guess? I don't know what that is, but none of the Demons were all that hard to deal with," she said with a shrug before she pulled one of her blades out. "With the blade that Gramps gave me, and my eye, I can basically cut down anything supernatural. I mean, for the gods' sakes, the kid wasn't even half as strong as Hozoin!" she ranted but her words were lost on the Flame Pillars he bit his lip.

What a truly puzzling woman. One of her blades, she claimed, could cut through anything supernatural, but he was unsure if it was a _nichirin_ blade. She mentioned that her sight had something to do with her fighting— which would make sense, but something told him that there was something more to it.

His lips twitched upwards in his signature smile as he shifted.

Once again, though, she had mentioned something (or rather, someone) that had to do with time.

It had been a long time since he had heard about him, but Hozoin could only mean one of five people. But it still didn't make sense— Hozoin In'ei died close to three hundred years ago.

He might not have been a Demon Slayer, but he had been somewhat famous for his spearmanship— enough that there were records of him in the Corps library praising him and the rest of his monks.

Something odd was certainly going on. This woman wouldn't have mentioned Hozoin as a comparison unless she had actually fought the man, right?

He glanced over to the woman, who was still talking about something.

"— I've reached Zero, but man, I'm still itching for a fight!" she huffed, arms crossed under her cloak and blade put away. "There's gotta be some strong guys around here, somewhere. I mean, maybe not as strong as old man Tajima, but still!"

He chuckled lowly. This woman was quite exuberant despite the formerly formal and cautious tone she had been using before.

"Oh sorry," he said as she glanced over, "I just thought it was interesting how you thought a Lower Moon was something easy to beat. A lot of Demon Slayers have fallen to them, I didn't think that a common woman would be able to beat one." He raised a brow as he continued, "Though you're no common woman, are you?'

She grinned a bit. "Nope. Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobubu—!?" she stopped suddenly when she bit her tongue. Wincing, she laughed a bit, "Sorry, let's do that over! I'm Miyamoto, Musashi. The full name's a bit of a mouthful. Creator of _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ , and all that," she hummed and Kyojuro felt another bolt of shock go through him.

He knew the name Miyamoto Musashi. Just like anyone else who studied swordsmanship would.

"But you're a woman!" was the first thing he blurted, unable to keep the shock from his face this time. "And— Well, that was rude, but! Miyamoto Musashi—"

"Died ages ago, I know," she said with a hum. "But in a world filled with Demons, is it so unlikely that time travel can exist?" she asked him and he closed his mouth.

Time Travel?

He felt his lips twitch upwards again.

"Well, I guess I could," He admitted, "Demon Blood Arts are certainly diverse!"

Oyakata-sama would know what to do.

"What do you plan on doing now, Musashi?" he asked her and she hummed, adjusting her _kasa_.

"I'm not sure," she said, "Wander, I guess, try and find some strong guys to fight, get some food, and then continue on to wherever Kannon-sama guides me." she shrugged.

Food, was it? Or maybe he should target her wish to fight some strong opponents…

If she didn't know where she wanted to go and what to do next, then maybe… "Well, if it's food you're after, I can't really offer much," he said, "I love eating tasty things, but I'm a menace in the kitchen! But I do know where there are some powerful guys about!"

She seemed to perk up a bit at that. "Oh?" she asked, blinking. He nodded.

"I told you, didn't I? I'm one of the top Demon Slayers in the Corps!" he barked with a laugh as he brushed snow from his haori. "You should join us! You'll get to fight all sorts of people!"

The woman— Musashi— seemed to consider it before she grinned, nodding.

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess I can't refuse!" she laughed and he grinned before he bowed a bit.

"Rengoku, Kyojuro! The Demon Slayer Corps' Flame Pillar!" He said.

"You can call me Musashi," she said, bowing in return. "My udon bowl record is 634."

"That's impressive!" he laughed as he began walking, Musashi following him. "I think you have Kanroji beat!"

She chuckled as they walked down the mountain, the two of them talking on the way.

The conversations were light and non-revealing about each other and their pasts. The only thing he learned about her was that she held Kannon in high regard and had been in what used to be the Shimousa province prior— he had told her that it was called Chiba now and she made a face, her hand reaching up and lightly ghosting over her eyepatch.

He wondered how much Time Travel messed with her knowledge of Japan.

He didn't reveal much about himself, despite his outwardly friendly nature he was still cautious. He did tell her that his favorite food was sweet potatoes, which she responded that she was always glad to get free food, but udon was a top spot for her.

He only laughed, telling her that he wouldn't have guessed.

He hoped he was making the right choice to take Musashi to Oyakata-sama.

His instincts told her that she was a good person, and she would be a powerful ally if she joined the Demon Slayers.

Could she even become a Demon Slayer?

She was a bit old to take the Final Selection, wasn't she?

Kyojuro felt that if this woman was with them, the task of wiping demons from the earth just got a bit more believable.

There was just something about the way she carried herself.

He hoped that he made the right choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation notes:
> 
> kasa: straw hats that are seen often on travelers. Lostbelt Musashi wears one and in the special promo video, she's also wearing one. I'm not sure if Izou's in his second ascension counts as a kasa but it might.
> 
> kiku gata: The floweresque shape seen on katana guards. It was the closest I could get to the design.
> 
> tsuba: The sword guard! Musashi's eye is still damaged, but because uh reasons, Musashi's damaged eye can now only see karma, curses, and the whole Heavenly Eye thing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the second chapter for this update. As I said, Sagittarius is a quicker updated story than this one. Anyways, enjoy~

Miyamoto Musashi, by all rights, should be dead. She knew this and she had accepted it. But to suddenly open her eyes up in the middle of a forest with her lungs burning and somehow repairing themselves from the damage the smoke did to them? She had been thrown off.

And to find that all her other minor injuries, all the rips and tears in her clothes, and the chips in the blades she used were all fixed?

She had been startled.

She had been even more startled to find that a cloak and _kasa_ that fit her were lying in the snow next to her with Old Man Muramasa's sword and her eyepatch. Her right eye was still damaged, but she didn't feel a scar there. The blindspot certainly would have been a problem to a normal person, but she had never been that normal. It wasn't fully blind, after all. When she reached Zero she had felt it— the power of the grail that merged with her all those years ago had started to settle.

When she had woken up in the snow in whatever world this was, she was right on the cusp of being a true Servant.

In short, her new day had started with many surprises.

She first needed to figure out what time period she was in. That wasn't going to be too hard since clothing often changed over the years. And if it was after the Warring States Era, then Edo or Tokyo would be the capital. Once she figured that out, she could hopefully figure out what to do next.

Musashi had made her way down the mountain in the deep blue colored cloak and with the _kasa_ on her head after she came to her bearings. Her five swords were all accounted for, strapped securely onto her waist and back, and she could feel that despite perfecting her swordsmanship, she was itching for a fight again.

She had initially not known what to do after she reached Zero, but she figured that if she was here, then there was a reason for her to be. Maybe she could go even farther? She couldn't go past Zero, but maybe could work on perfecting another's swordsmanship?

That Kojiro's fighting style was certainly interesting. Reaching Infinity in order to beat Zero?

Imagine the possibilities!

That was what Musashi had been thinking when she reached the village overrun by Demons. She had known without needing any confirmation that those who were killing and feasting on the villagers that they were Demons.

Of course, they didn't have the same red eyes like the Demon Swordsmen, but they did have _karma_ — it felt different as if it was a tie to something else, but it was _karma_ all the same. The demons had claw-like nails and blood running down their chins, but even if they were human Musashi wouldn't have let them off easy.

She hated one-sided slaughter, after all.

It was almost disappointing how easily three of the four demons in the village fell. The fourth, a child, she supposed, was a bit harder. But not by much. It had attacked her from the side, aiming to enter her blind spot but she had easily predicted as such and turned to face it head-on. It had the number six printed in one of its eyes, but she barely took note of it before its head was cleaved clear off its neck.

It wasn't even as strong as Hozoin.

She had then searched the houses for survivors, and upon finding none, she had moved to bury the bodies before the smell of food made her stop. She prayed that the spirits of the house and village forgave her for eating the food of a deceased family before burying the bodies.

Then he had burst in.

She had sensed him before he had even stepped into the house while she was eating. He had a strong presence, but it was warm and full of kindness.

When he burst in, she knew he was going to attack, so she drew her blade and leaped first.

He was… all yellow.

Well, that wasn't true, but his hair was like golden flames. His eyes were two-toned like hers, though more pronounced. Golden with a ring of red. His smile didn't leave his face when she let up.

He was powerful too. Like a flame just simmering under the surface.

And then she discovered he was loud and was reminded of Ritsuka. She wondered if there was any way he was related to the confidant redhead.

Probably not, since she was in a whole other dimension.

He had prodded and prompted her for information, which she gave to him and she had laughed at his reaction to her name.

She certainly wouldn't have been the Miyamoto Musashi he would have known, anyways. Or at least read about.

Almost every other place she went to, Miyamoto Musashi was a man.

Then he offered her to come with him to meet the Demon Slayers. She didn't know that people who hunted demons got a fancy name, but that was pretty cool to learn.

She had accepted, of course. He had promised that she'd get to fight strong people and hopefully that also meant she got paid so she could eat good food.

He introduced himself as Kyojuro Rengoku and she decided that she liked him already. They talked as they walked down the mountain, learning about one another at the surface level. He liked sweet potatoes, which was funny to her but who was she to judge?

She had learned that she was in the Taishou Period and that unlike other dimensions she had been Spirited Away to, Grail Wars and Magic were unknown to the supernatural world, and Rengoku only made a funny face when she probed about it, so she dropped the topic. She found it odd, as this world was more overrun by Demons than the last. Like some sort of major epidemic. She wondered if it spread outside of Japan, but Rengoku said he didn't know if it had or not.

They ended up both agreeing that they hope it hadn't.

…

…

And all of that had happened only a few days ago. Getting down the mountain hadn't been too hard, but getting back was a different task. They had walked for another day, encountered another Demon (Rnegoku dealt with it in under three seconds), and the Flame Pillar fell into a bramble patch not even ten seconds after.

Despite all of that, though, Musashi didn't feel overly tired as she stretched, following Rengoku to meet this 'Oyakata-sama' that he kept referring to.

They were the boss, then?

She wasn't sure as she walked around the outside of an estate and into a garden. The Garden was beautiful, she had to admit, but she wasn't sure what else she expected.

There were two children playing with a ball in the garden, twins it seemed. They both had stark white hair and pale skin— eyes that seemed to see right through her when they looked over. Rengoku waved to them, and they smiled before they went back to playing with their ball.

"I'm glad you made it back safely, Rengoku," a soft voice said and she turned, seeing a man with black hair sitting on the engawa. A large scar went across his forehead and face, and sightless eyes gazed in their general direction. Her senses prickled slightly and she felt it— _karma_. Or at least, that's what it felt like. The man before her had something that felt like _karma_ rolling off of him, faint, but there. Demonic blood, perhaps? Diluted to the point where it was next to untraceable?

She wasn't sure as Rengoku kneeled in respect to the man. Musashi slowly followed suit.

"I can assume you got my message, Oyakata-sama?" Rengoku asked and the man hummed, nodding.

"Yes, I did," he said simply, "The person next to you, then? That's her, the one who goes by Musashi?"

"That's me," Musashi hummed, nodding a bit. "Nice to meet you, Oyakata-sama!"

The man gave her a gentle smile as he folded his hands in his lap.

"You may call me Ubuyashiki, if you wish. Only the Corps call me Oyakata," he told her gently before he tilted his head slightly. "Kyojuro says you killed a Lower Moon Demon by yourself," he started, "Along with three others."

Musashi frowned, running a hand through her hair. "I mean, yeah, I did. Demons are Demons. Unless they prove otherwise, they're a natural threat to humans. I can count on one hand how many haven't been direct threats to humanity," she said before she sighed, shaking her head. "Anyways, I suppose that Rengoku told ya about my, ah, Time Traveling?"

The man nodded and she took it as a sign to continue.

"Sorry to lie, but it's not exactly Time Travel. Until I figure out if someone's trustworthy or not, I just let them chalk it up to that," she said, ignoring another huff from Rengoku.

"In truth, it's something a bit more… convoluted. More like… dimension-hopping," she explained, "Where I'm from and where I was previously, I fought beings known as Demon Swordsmen, and they took the forms of impressive heroes from long ago. Fighting a Demon like that after beating the Shuten Douji?" she shook her head again. "It wasn't much of a fight."

Ubuyashiki was very good at recovering from shock, Musashi decided. The name 'Shuten Douji' was universal when it came to talking about demons, it seemed, but the man quickly calmed his features from startled to quizzical. Rengoku was less schooled, his head turning to face Musashi and eyes wide.

"There is one more thing," she continued, eyes still gazing evenly forwards at Ubuyashiki. "I don't just 'call' myself, Musashi, it's who I am. I recognize that in almost every other world the person known as Miyamoto Musashi was, and is, a man, so I understand if that is hard to believe. I am not the same Musashi that you have heard of in legends, but I am the same Musashi who created duel wielding in a more fluid form."

She broke her gaze from the man as she bowed in her kneeled form. "Rengoku said that you were Demon Slayers. There are three things that I find unforgivable, and Demons always manage to do them, no matter what world I'm in. I'm not sure what sort of trial you have people do, but I'm more than willing to do it if it means that I can join you in slaying Demons for the time I'm here."

There was a beat of silence before Ubuyashiki laughed softly. "And here I was thinking that I'd have to convince you myself that we would benefit from you joining the Demon Slayer Corps," he said lightly and she laughed at that.

"To be honest, in the past I would have said 'no' flat out unless I'd be getting some sort of reward. I'm not a hero," she told him, "But someone taught me that I could be. Besides, I'm much stronger now, so I don't have any doubts…" She smiled a bit, shrugging. "If it means that I can continue to get stronger, I'll fight."

The blind man's smile never left his lips as he nodded. "Then I welcome you to the Demon Slayer Corps, Miyamoto Musashi," he said before he raised a hand. A crow flew down to his outstretched finger, perching there and tilting its head at her and Rengoku.

" _Kasugaigarasu_ are crows that we use for communication," the man explained as another flew down towards Musashi, landing on her shoulder and lightly nuzzling her cheek. She stroked its feathers lightly as the man spoke again.

"Musashi, this is a very important question, but… do you know if any of your blades are considered to be _nichirin_ blades?"

Musashi blinked. She had never heard that term before. "No. I've never heard of the term, and the only unnatural one would be _Myoujingiri_ , right here," she said, drawing the blade and setting it down in front of her. Rengoku peered down at it.

"It looks like a normal sword to me…" he said and she nodded.

"I know that swords can have different colors and properties if forged right— all of my swords at least look normal. _Myoujingiri_ is the only one with special properties," she told him, " _Myoujingiri_ can cut through anything— And I mean anything. The Old Man told me that it can cleave through the supernatural, can cut through armor, boulders and even steel, but it is not something that a normal human can use. When I use it, it doesn't feel much lighter than a feather and it has a whole new level of divinity within it. He always said that is was imperfect since it can't really cut off anyone from fate or destiny but it can at least sever a cause… I suppose becoming a Demon is like a curse then…" She shook her head before she glanced up at the sky.

"I suppose stopped being a 'normal human' the first time I left my home dimension. When I reached Zero, I stepped onto the path of those who have surpassed humanity," she mused before she shrugged. "That's an entirely _other topic_ for another day.

Ubuyashiki seemed thoughtful as the crow on Musashi's shoulder nuzzled her again. "I see… And you use that one to kill the Demons?"

"Mhm," she hummed, nodding, "I don't know if my normal blades would do anything for them, but I knew that _Myoujingiri_ would."

The blind man nodded again. "I understand," he said, "Then I will see about having _nichirin_ blades made for you," he assured, "For now, you may accompany Kyojuro to the Butterfly Estate, it would be best to get acquainted with your fellow Pillars."

Rengoku nodded a bit before he startled.

"Wait, Oyakata-sama, did you say _fellow!?"_

Musashi just laughed at his expression as the blind man smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kjhgfkjghfsk I hope this one was written alright. Spell check gets finicky with stupid things.
> 
> Ubuyashiki will be referred to as Ubuyashiki when its Musashi's pov mostly, all the other pillars will have him as oyakata-sama. Basically, all characters are referred to their last names except for Tanjirou and Friends™ and The Rengoku family when it comes to Musashi. Since Tanjirou refers to a lot of the pillars with their given name (im not sure why) when its his pov they'll be referred to as such too. Basically names are based on whose pov it is. Speaking is different, obviously because everyone sorta has their own way they speak— ie: Kyojuro, I headcanon to be close to Uzui and (obvs) Kanroji, so he would use their given names when speaking. Changes in this (Musashi will eventually call others by their first names) will be because of relations changing (ie friends).
> 
> TL;DR: Last names used for the most part in narration, first names used in speech depending on relationships.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly didn't expect this to get as much traction in one day that this did, so I'm happy! Anyways, here's chapter 3. I planned on posting this like, not this soon but holy hell, did y'all see the recent Babylonia episode? Because King Hassan is Metal as Fuck and I really, really love it. Anyways, here we go.

Kanroji Mitsuri and Kocho Shinobu were both, without a doubt, adorable and beautiful.

Musashi decided that within the first few moments of meeting them while she was at the Butterfly Estate. Kocho was the Insect Pillar while Kanroji was the Love Pillar and formerly trained under Rengoku— and the two of them were both glad to have another woman on board with the Pillars. Kocho had said something about being able to deal with the pigheaded brawling, but Musashi had told her that she wasn't sure how much of that she'd be able to stop since she also liked fighting.

Kanorji said something about how her spirit was 'lovely' and then she hugged her.

Both women had taken her tale in stride. Kanroji had been disbelieving, but not out of mistrust, and was very curious about it while Kocho had been a bit suspicious and seemed to have been waiting for a punchline. She eventually accepted what Musashi said as truth before she went on her way to patch up a few of Rengoku's scratches he had gotten from that bramble patch he had fallen into. His hands and neck got pretty scratched up, and he had a shallow scratch right above his left eye, it wasn't too serious, but it did need to be taken care of.

Kanorji seemed to find that hilarious and Musashi didn't blame her. She had seen it happen.

The two women were quite different, despite their friendship, Musashi observed. While Kocho was a gentle, yet terrifying individual (that smile of hers was enough for Musashi to promise not to ever cause too much trouble if she could help it), Kanroji was much more like herself in a way.

A strong woman who loved food.

Musashi liked Kanroji.

Next to Rengoku, she was probably the favorite of the ones she had met so far. Not that she didn't like Kocho— she did. It was Shinazugawa who she didn't like.

The white-haired Wind Pillar had been grudgingly at the Butterfly Estate for a pain killer or something when she and Rengoku arrived. The first thing he did was ask her if she was Rengoku's bitch. Musashi wasn't one to normally be bothered by vulgarity, but rather it was the way he said it. As if she was nothing at all.

She had her pride still, and even when Rengoku— forever smiling, it seemed— had calmly explained that she was to be the newest Pillar and introduced the white-haired man, he had only sneered.

Musashi didn't like Shinazugawa, she decided then and there.

He was the type to step over people's beliefs and scorn them for being weaker than him. She recognized his talent at a glance, but she only hoped that he knew when to quit was. Both Rengoku and Kanroji had apologized to her on his behalf, though she told him that it wasn't a big deal. Which was a lie, because all she really wanted to do was punch his face in. Shinobu only shook her head with an exasperated look.

"Sooo, what are you gonna do about a uniform? Are you planning on wearing a haori?" Kanroji had been asking her as she waited on the engawa of the estate.

Rengoku had offered her a place to stay for the time being, though she had declined at first, saying that she'd be fine out and around on her own, but he was persistent. She caved in, but on the condition that she got to stay up on the roof for the time being. She wanted to see the stars tonight and see if they had changed at all. He had agreed, though reluctantly.

"Uniform?" she asked and the pink and green haired woman nodded, humming.

"Yep. All the Demon Slayers wear one," she said, indicating to the black attire she wore, "Shinobou could probably take your measurements."

Musashi sweat. "A haori I can wear, but hm… I've worn this or something really similar to it for such a long time…" she sighed, shrugging. "I'll probably make my Haori from my cloak? I have no idea in truth!" she laughed a bit, scratching at her cheek. "I don't think I've worn a uniform in my life."

"I'm sure that Oyakata-sama will let you work something out!" she said, leaning back. "Besides, I bet you'll get alllll sorts of leeway with being so cool and stuff! Oh! To be able to take a Lower Moon like that and say that it wasn't anything at all, it gets my blood pumping!"

Musashi laughed a bit at the other woman, nodding. "It certainly was interesting," she admitted, "Though it wasn't that strong, watching it create threads from its blood was something that I'd never seen before."

She blinked, hearing footsteps approach and she tilted her head back, seeing Rengoku and Kocho walk back over to them.

"I still can't believe that you feel into a thorn patch and got that many cuts and still didn't even realize they were there," Musashi said as she stood. Rengoku just laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It wasn't that bad! Besides, a few thorns can't kill me!" he boasted and she snorted.

Kocho rolled her eyes, but smiled. "If the cuts got infected, you could," she warned. Rengoku just laughed again.

"I'll remember that!" he said before he turned to Musashi. "Ready to go?"

"Just waitin' on you, Rengoku," she said, brushing a bit of dirt from her cloak. He nodded before he waved to Kanroji.

"Good luck on your next mission!" he called as the two of them left the Butterfly Estate.

The walk towards the Rengoku Family Estate was uneventful. He had explained that there were two estates in his name, so to speak. There was the Family Estate, though that one was more or less in his Father's name if he was truthful, and then there was the Flame Estate, which was currently unused at the moment. While the ownership technically lied with him, he told her, it was far too big and empty for one person. He used it when he was training Kanroji and a few others, but such is the life of a demon slayer is short, that time was as well.

Musashi understood the feeling, sometimes places were far too big for just one person. And since Rengoku hadn't found anyone who had that 'flare' he was looking for in training, the Estate belonging to whoever held the Flame Pillar spot was empty.

He, of course, was telling her this when the two of them bumped into a young boy with a vacant stare and long black hair. He was no older than fourteen, Musashi guessed, and, apparently, he was the Mist Pillar.

His name was Tokito Muichiro and Rengoku warned her that it might be a while before he remembered she was a Pillar now, much less her name. She didn't mind, he seemed like a sweet kid nonetheless.

Speaking of sweet kids, Musashi had ended up meeting Rengoku's brother.

Who looked exactly like him.

Only, Senjuro was quite the opposite of his brother. He was far more meek and soft-spoken than Kyojuro (as the Flame Pillar insisted on being called, since calling him Rengoku would only being confusion in the house) was. It seemed as if he did most of the housework too.

Senjuro was a good kid, Musashi decided, though she could have done without meeting Shinjuro. Who had been drinking when they arrived.

Her hands twitched at the man's blatant insults to his sons when Kyojuro returned. Shinjuro was every bit like her own father, except he didn't have the excuse that Kyojuro and Senjuro were girls.

It made her blood boil, but a look from Kyojuro made her hold back the volatile retorts she had. She had taken to the roof not too long after that, assuring Senjuro that she was fine and she didn't want to intrude on their meal. So, while the family ate, she had taken a nap in the evening light— her _kasa_ resting over her face to shield her from the setting sun.

She slept off the momentary, boiling resentment of the reminder of her own father.

It wasn't until about an hour or two later when the sound of footsteps alerted her to the arrival of someone joining her on the roof. She didn't move, waiting until there was an indication of who it was.

The person sat down next to her with a sigh and she reached up, pulling the _kasa_ from her face.

"Rough meal?" she asked, glancing at Kyojuro as she sat up. The fiery-haired man just laughed slightly.

"Tense," he said, "But nothing bad! I promise you, he's not normally that bad!"

"I'd hate to see what good is, then," she uttered before she sighed, watching as the last of the stars started to come out.

He chuckled, though it was hollow sounding and she reached over, tugging his hair. He winced, but his attention was on her as she laid back down on the roof.

"You're a good guy for still caring about your old man despite everything he's done," she said, humming as she gazed up at the sky. He blinked, but laid down as well after a moment.

"Someone has to," he said after a moment. "Plus… I remember how he was before he started drinking! So I can't give up! I want him to take care of himself!" he said with a grin and Musashi laughed.

"Seriously, does nothing get you down?" she asked and he hummed.

"Nope!" he laughed before he shifted. "You really sleep up here? Seems uncomfortable!"

"You get used to it after a while," she said, "Most of my money always went to food when I even had it. If I was in an area for more than a day, I would just sleep on roofs and leave before the homeowners woke."

She stretched a bit as she gazed up at the sky. "The stars are the same here as they were in Shimousa," she mused. Kyojuro blinked, turning to look at her and she laughed a bit.

"In the future, they change a lot," she told him, "The sky gets too clouded with artificial light to see them sometimes. Once, there was too much smoke and flame…" she trailed off, her visible eye darkening. "In the future, something awful will happen that no one can prevent. I know better than to try and tamper with time when it comes to apparently major events… the sky gets too clouded with flame to see anything— day, night? No one's sure… An entire city almost wiped from the map."

"Was it demons?"

"Mm, no, I don't think so," she said, resting her arms behind her head. "Something different. Something more like me, supernatural but not like demons."

She yawned. "Well, it's not super important," she said, "I'd say we still have a hundred years until that's even something to look at."

Kyojuro hummed, sitting up and stretching his back. "A hundred years, huh?" he asked. "What's the future like?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "It's always different. In some worlds, events happen that didn't in others. I do know is that swords eventually are laid down for mechanical weapons. Human lives are valued in both a lesser extent and highly prized. The future… is weird," she finished with a laugh.

Kyojuro chuckled a bit as well.

"It's best not to dwell on it, though," she added, sitting up after a moment. "The present is best lived if the future remains unknown, that's what I think at least."

"So in other words, don't worry about what you can't change?" he asked and she laughed a bit.

"Something like that," she said, nodding as he stood up. "Heading back down?"

"Yep," the Flame Pillar said, popping the 'p' ever so slightly at the end. "As much as it'd be fun one day, I don't think I could sleep comfortably on a roof just yet!"

"Suit yourself, Ren," she laughed as he climbed down from the estate roof.

"Good night, Musashi!" he called back up and she just waved in response as she laid back down.

"The future…" she mused, "Yeah, from what Ritsuka told me, it's really weird."

She laughed a bit under her breath as she gazed up at the sky.

The future would be interesting indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways, don't expect a new chapter for a while, since I'm gonna be focusing on some school work that we have. With colleges closed we're doing online work and such...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm literally going insane with this lockdown thing, so oh boy. Yes, I still have a ton of college work. No I'm totally not procrastinating, whatever gave you that idea? Oh right, be safe, everyone!

It was a week later when Musashi got her first orders.

She had been mostly hanging around the Butterfly Estate in the meanwhile, helping Kocho out where she needed her. The smaller woman had helped her in turning her cloak into a Haori and Ubuyashiki had sent her a message telling her not to worry about uniform for now. She had also sent the exact measurements of her swords along with the basic design of her hilts to the swordsmith village for the _Nichirin_ blades. Creating four would be a task, and Ubuyashiki said he wasn't sure how long it would be.

She would have to rely on Muramasa's blade until then, though it wasn't that big of a deal. She could use the other four, as long as the killing blow was dealt with it. Musashi was just excited to try out new swords.

That excitement didn't fade when her crow arrived, cawing about how she had to head west to investigate strange disappearances in a small town. So she had grabbed her newly made haori, ruffled Aoi's hair, bid Kocho and the other girls goodbye and left as soon as the crow had ordered it.

The walk to the town had taken the entire day, not that she minded. The townspeople were wary, giving her looks full of suspicion as she walked past their homes. Her _kasa_ was tilted down over her face as she glanced around, taking in every detail of the town as she walked and the sun dipped low over the horizon. Night would fall very soon, meaning the demon was going to be out soon as well.

The townspeople quickly ushered their children inside, closing their doors and locking them tight. Their windows were also shut tight as well, but Musashi knew that if a demon were to attack, it wouldn't deter them in the slightest. They would simply rip the door open and if that failed then they would tear the coverings to the windows off or simply break through the walls.

She wasn't offended though, as the villagers gazed at her before closing up tight, she figured that they would act that way with what had happened. Four adults and two children had gone missing in the last few days would make anyone cautious of a stranger in their town. She shifted the sword at her side as she gazed up at the moon, standing still in the center of the town and waiting.

Her eye narrowed suddenly and she gazed back at the town's homes. A thick fog had started to descend upon it. curling around her ankles and clouding her vision. She could feel herself starting to get drowsy despite being fully awake moments ago.

Was this the demon's… oh what did they call it? 'Demon Blood Art'? Was that what this was?

She felt her skin spark as she shook the drowsiness off and a figure came out of the fog, approaching her. She kept her head tilted towards the ground, giving off the impression of someone sleeping while standing as footsteps got closer.

"Ufufufu…" a woman's voice cooed. "A traveler who didn't get inside in time? Must be my lucky day…"

Footsteps came closer to her and she kept still until a set of bare feet stopped in front of her. A hand entered her vision and in a flash, Musashi lopped the arm off. The demon, a woman in appearance, screeched, stumbling back and Musashi lunged after her, visible eye shining bright in the night.

"How!?" the demon screeched as she made a swipe to slash Musashi with her nails. Musashi dodged, slashing that arm off as well.

"Your 'Demon Blood Arts' you mean? Yeah, stuff like this doesn't affect me!" she said, grinning as she continued her advance on the demon, who continued to retreat. Her arm was slowly forming back, but it seemed as if it wouldn't be fast enough as Musashi leaped forwards, drawing another sword and cleanly slicing through the demon's neck with the two blades. She turned on her heel, spinning _Myoujingiri_ in her hand and stabbing it downwards and into the demon's head. The demon let out a cry and Musashi raised a brow, watching as the demon disintegrated. It hadn't put up much of a fight, but then again, she had crossed blades with Shuten Douji and Tomoe Gozen before.

Still, it was a bit melancholy to see what became of demons. The monsters of Shimousa also disintegrated, but it still made her sad.

How many were made involuntarily?

How many demons were made because they thought they were saving their friends and family? Because they didn't want to die?

She sighed as she stood, putting _Myoujingiri_ away and glancing back at the spot where the body had been. She gazed at it for a moment longer before she turned her gaze back to the village's homes. A few people were peering out of their homes warily, but she paid them no mind as she sighed, looking up at the sky.

She would stay the rest of the night, making sure there wasn't a second one lurking around. Better to be safe than sorry, she reasoned as she scaled up the tallest building and onto the roof.

(x)

No other demons arrived before daybreak and by then, Musashi's crow was causing a ruckus, telling her to head south to meet with another Pillar in order to complete a different mission.

Gyoumei Himejima, the Rock Pillar.

She had left the town with a hum and a bounce in her step, munching on one of the rice-balls that Kocho had sent with her. She didn't feel too tired yet, which she knew was just a side effect from her already weird nature and sleep schedule. It worked in her favor, at least.

So she headed south, looking for anyone who looked like they were from the Corps.

At her usual speed, it took her only a couple hours until she reached a town that made the crow quiet and stop telling her to move south.

The town was on the larger side, bustling and busy in the late morning and more than a few gave her smiles and greetings as she walked through the main road. With her _kasa_ and bag, she appeared to be nothing more than a traveling woman to them, her swords hidden under her haori.

She waved to a child who ran past as she glanced around. So far, no one looked like they stood out to her. No definite "that's a Pillar!" vibes from anyone just yet.

Musashi sighed as she contemplated where to look next. The town had a shrine, she could head there and send her crow with a message to tell the other Pillar that she was there. Maybe that would be the best course of action.

She hummed, waving to another townsperson and walking towards the town's shrine.

It was still a few hours until sundown, she could rest at the temple while she gave her thanks to _Kannon-sama_ for guiding and protecting her.

Stretching as she walked up the shrine steps, she blinked, seeing a tall man with a scar around his forehead. He seemed to be waiting for someone, though his eyes were blank and Musashi knew instantly that the man was blind.

A green haori adorned his shoulders and red prayer beads were wrapped around his neck and hands. A black uniform—

Wait. A black uniform?

She blinked as she walked over.

"Morning!" she greeted and the man seemed to startle, turning his head over to her immediately and his sightless eyes widened a bit. There was a long silence and Musashi frowned.

Had she gotten it wrong after all?

"Are you—"

"You are—"

They both spoke at once, stopping as soon as they started and Musashi stared. There was a beat before she laughed, making the man frown a bit.

"Sorry, sorry!" she apologized, "You're Himejima, Gyoumei, right? Demon Slayer and, ah, Rock Pillar?" she asked and the man nodded.

"Yes," he said, "Meaning you are the new Pillar, Miyamoto, Musashi."

"That's me. You can just call me Musashi," she hummed, "Orders said that we're working together? Mind, telling me what's going on?" she asked and the man nodded.

"From what I can tell," he started, "There are three demons. They've been taking people from the shrine at night, and if there's no one to visit the Shrine at night, then they've been creeping to the outskirts of the town to take people. Upon entering the shrine, though, there is no one but the priests."

Musashi nodded, tilting her head back as she gazed up at the sky. "Have you heard any movement from inside the shrine?" she asked him and he blinked.

"Oh, sorry, was that too assuming?" she asked, frowning. "Just, I can see that you uh, can't?" she fumbled a bit, forcing an awkward laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck. The man seemed to stare down at her before his lips twitched upwards.

"It's alright," he said before he shifted, his sightless gaze moving back to the shrine. "To answer, no I haven't heard anything, but the priests have not reported anything unnatural."

She frowned again, tugging a bit at her bangs as she thought. "Hm… Himejima, how well can you detect lies?" she asked and he hummed.

"I like to believe that I can detect deception quite well," he said after a moment, "So I don't believe that the priests were lying."

She nodded, gazing at the shrine as she thought. "Then we wait for nightfall," she said after a moment, walking towards the shrine. "We still have a few hours, I'm gonna go give my respects and then take a nap somewhere."

(x)

Himejima had left Musashi alone for the most part, only asking her which deity she prayed to after she had finished at the shrine.

She didn't mind, Himejima seemed like he was the quieter type, after all.

She had explored the town and gotten a bit to eat before meeting back up at the shrine with Himejima. Apparently the man had spent the entire day up there, though hadn't been shooed away because people mistook him as a monk.

Somehow.

Musashi chose not to dwell on it as she stood in front of the _haiden_ with Himejima nearby. The noise from the town slowly faded as night fell and a majority of the residents returned to their homes for the night.

She remained standing still, one hand holding onto _Myoujingiri_ loosely as she listened. Himejima was also still, so still that she could barely hear his breathing.

Still, nothing out of the ordinary arrived as an hour passed.

Musashi had moved from the _haiden_ and ended up perched on top of the _torii_ gate, looking out over the town with a frown. Something was moving in the streets despite the late hours.

She squinted, taking note of the strange gait. It could just be a drunk, but if that was the case then someone had to make sure he got back to their home safely.

"Himejima! I'm going down to the town to look around again!" she called over her shoulder. Not hearing a response, she hopped from where she had been perched, heading down the stone steps.

She walked with a slight bounce in her step, heading through town t where she saw the strange individual. There were a few others out and about, but most were heading home and told her that she should think about finding a place to stay the night as well. She just smiled and told them that she planned on it.

Throughout all her interactions, though, she kept her senses alert. So far, no sign of demons and no noise was coming from the temple.

By the time the streets had cleared out fully, another hour had passed and Musashi was starting to wonder if the vanishings were just that— people leaving town without a word.

That was, until a loud noise at the shrine made her look up. She turned instantly, taking off towards the stone steps quickly. A few light sleepers were peering out their windows, startling as she ran past as she made it to the shrine's steps. She climbed them in leaps and bounds, reaching the top quickly and quickly took in the sight. Two demons were fighting with Himejima while the third was scrambling to its feet nearby.

She didn't waste any time, her _kasa_ flying off as she lunched at the downed demon. It screeched as she planted her foot in its chest, sending it flying back again.

"Sorry I'm late!" she told Himejima, drawing _Myoujingiri_ and another one of her swords. The large man just grunted, dodging a swipe from one of the demons before he grabbed something on the ground. Musashi swung her sword out, cutting through the arm of one as the third leaped into the fray again. The rattling of chains made her tense a bit before Himejima jerked his arm up and pulled on a chain that had been laying on the ground.

Musashi leaped up and out of the way as a spiked ball and axe were pulled up and towards the other Pillar. The axe was caught easily by the man as Musashi slashed the arms off of a second demon. She landed behind Himejima, grimacing as the two she had struck regrew their limbs.

There seemed to be a beat of still before the demons launched at her. She felt Himejima shift, the third one leaping at him before the two Slayers leaped away from each other. Her swords cleaved into the demons as she swung them, kicking one back with ease.

Scenarios ran through her mind as she dodged a swipe from one, slashing at the other's chest. She needed to take their heads off as fast as possible.

They attacked in mirrored movements, always relying on each other as they fought.

Slash. Block. Parry. Pass forwards. Slash again.

A deadly dance but in a spark of realization, Musashi tossed the second sword into the sky. Gripping _Myoujingiri_ tightly in both hands, she swung upwards, cleanly slicing the first demon's head off. The second demon screeched, rushing at her and she leaped up, catching her other sword as she flipped back. She brought her swords together while she was still in the air in an 'x' shape before slashing them downwards— cutting cleanly through the demon as she landed.

Upon landing, she turned, seeing the demon fall into four pieces. She swung her sword through its neck in the next second and it joined its brother in crumbling to dust. Musashi glanced over to Himejima, watching as he pulled his axe back to him. The third demon had been dealt with easily.

The Rock Pillar hefted his weapons over his shoulder, silent as Musashi walked past him and picked her _kasa_ back up. Cawing from above made them both glance up as two crows descended on them.

"CAW! CAW! ROCK PILLAR HIMEJIMA GYOMEI! VOID PILLAR MIYAMOTO MUSASHI! RETURN AND WAIT FOR FURTHER ORDERS, CAW!" the two birds both cawed and Musashi chuckled, placing the _kasa_ back on her head and holding her arm out. Her crow landed on it, hopping up to her shoulder.

"Caw! Return to wait for further orders!" the bird cawed, though much softer as it settled on her shoulder.

"Yes, yes, we'll be heading that way," she told it, patting its head with two fingers. She glanced back at Himejima, humming. "Ready to go?"

"I have a few things I must attend to first," the Rock Pillar said after a moment, "Please go on without me."

The other crow seemed a bit huffy at that, flying in circles above them but she nodded.

"Suit yourself. Stay safe!" she told him before she headed down the shrine stairs, her swords sheathed at her sides.

"Oh, I wonder if Kocho will let me cook today…" she mused, petting the crow again. "And you need a name."

The crow just clicked its beak, nuzzling her cheek again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Musashi's not going to be heavily affected by demons whose blood arts are nonphysical. Putting someone to sleep, for example, or putting them under hypnosis. This will play a larger role later in the story, but only for a certain arc. This is mainly because Demon Arts are sorta similar to magic in a way, and Musashi as a servant has magic resistance. As a human, Fuuma notes that Musashi just brushes off magical attacks without a problem, so that's what's going on here.
> 
> Translation notes:
> 
> Kannon-sama: Kannon is the Japanese name for the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, also known as Guanyin. She's the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion. Musashi apparently worships her, as she mentions her a number of times.
> 
> Haiden: The large, front building of a shrine. Usually the first building you see.
> 
> Torii: the red Shrine Gates everyone knows and loves
> 
> I'll try and do translation notes for new terms if I remember to. Fun fact, the original draft for this had Gyoumei finding Musashi, but then I changed it. Gyoumei and Musashi are still gonna be Buddhist Friends though and I have another role for Gyoumei to play instead. The chapter after next will actually have KnY Plotline in it. Obviously, large time skip because I personally think that ten chapters of Musashi going around and killing demons is a bit repetitive, so exposition and then content! Meeting the Pillars! Meeting Tanjirou! Yay! Shinazugawa might get smacked!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back children. Its Musashi's birthday! I think. Idk I saw something on twitter. 
> 
> The next chapter launches us into the plotline. We're gonna move fast through that because two arcs are getting skipped since it has nothing to do with Musashi. Spoilers, Muzan is a bad man but Oni are cooler.

Musashi ended up naming her crow 'Ritsuka' and it was a year later, when the summer heat reached its peak, that found Musashi lazily brushing through Kyojuro's mess of hair. Her hands picking leaves out of it while Kocho wrapped his wrist in bandages. All three Pillars had their haori discarded (Kyojuro's tossed, Musashi's half-folded, and Kocho's neatly folded) on the _engawa_ next to them. Despite the normal Demon Slayer uniform able to help regulate temperature, it seemed that even the heavy heat from the dead of summer was too much for it. Musashi was glad that she didn't have to wear it all the time, only having to do so if she was specifically ordered to. Kyojuro and Kocho, however, were less fortunate. The black-colored fabric was just soaking in heat and Kocho's dark-colored hair was no different than her uniform, but she was stubborn and kept it fully on with only one or two buttons undone. Kyojuro, however, had taken the jacket off. The Flame Pillar had returned from a mission up north and considering his already abnormal body temperature?

Yeah, the temperature change was a bitch.

Nonetheless, he had shown up to the Butterfly Estate to get his, while minor, wounds checked on. He had been met with Musashi helping keep Naho, Sumi, and Kiyo entertained. Summer was slower for the Slayers— days were longer, nights fell later. Aside from the residents, Kyojuro was the only one at the Estate aside from Musashi, who wasn't there for injuries.

Speaking of which, there had been three Pillar Meetings since Musashi had first arrived in the Taisho Period and Musashi had officially been instated as the Tenth Pillar— the Void Pillar. She and Shinazugawa had gotten into a fight immediately after and though it had been called as a draw, Kanroji had told her that she had won. Definitely. Shinazugawa had been quite bruised physically and in pride.

Of course, that was after the first Pillar Meeting she had gone to and she didn't exactly fault the others who didn't know her to be wary. Even though Kocho had given her a rundown on all the terms she needed to know, the whole 'Style' business was a bit odd to her. Her style was _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ but apparently that wasn't acceptable, as Kocho explained there were elements involved. The way she fought, moved, and even breathed was odd to them.

'Void' just wasn't something they knew.

Her abnormality was further solidified by the fact that she had four _nichirin_ blades and a blade that wasn't that could cut down demons without fail. All of the _nichirin_ blades that she owned had also been engraved with the four base elements, not changing in color like the others but instead igniting a flame of the respective hue. That had thrown off the Pillars and the Sword Smiths alike.

Once the initial shock wore off, Tomioka then asked if she was planning on taking over as the Water Pillar position and Kyojuro had acted offended (though both of them knew that he was just being an idiot) at the idea of someone taking his spot as Flame Pillar. Shinazugawa had bristled at the thought and Himejima had said silent, but before things got out of hand Ubuyashiki had revealed that she was a tenth Pillar— not one that was replacing one of the nine.

She was the Void Pillar and that was that.

And then the fact that she was actually a Dimension Hopper dropped. Kanroji, Kocho, and Kyojuro obviously took it very well (since they knew already), but there had been varying degrees of disbelief and wariness. Some wondered if it was worth it if she was just going to vanish. Others wanted to know about other worlds. She tried her best to answer all of them, explaining about Servants and Shimousa, and how she was an abnormality in that she was on the cusp of being a Servant, but not one exactly. While magic arts did exist in this world, the concept of Servants was new territory. Magic arts were rare and hardly used, associated with demons or shamans. Explaining that had been a trial in and of itself, considering how not even she knew everything about Servants.

Luckily, the other meetings had ended better than the first and Musashi slowly got to know the rest of the Pillars through missions and training. True to Kyojuro's words, Tokito had forgotten who she was when they met again at the first Pillar Meeting.

Stretching a bit as she set the brush down, she let out a small huff as Kyojuro flopped his head back into her stomach. She still lived on his roof out of spite of Shinjuro Rengoku, the elder man and her often exchanging profanities and flipping each other off whenever they were in sight of the other.

She had managed one civil conversation with the man, though it was clipped and laced with threat when she told him that he should be proud of his sons. At least they were boys, she had snapped, telling him how her father had tossed her out after her mother had died. With no possibility of a son from the woman and left with a 'useless' daughter, he had cut his losses. Easier to get remarried if there wasn't a child around. Of course, she left out the part where she had been almost a newborn when it had happened.

Despite the tense and volatile relationship between the elder Rengoku and herself, Kyojuro and her ended up quite close. The two were often working together on a number of missions, or just ending up in the same area afterwards.

Once the two of them had been given orders to team up with Himejima. She jokingly told the two afterwards that they might have scared not only the village but the other demons with how relentless they ended up being. Himejima admitted that hearing Musashi's laugh and taunts in the middle of a demon horde was a strange. The three of them made a strange, but not unwelcome team.

"Anyways," Kyojuro yawned, "I hear that only one person made it out of the final selection this year," he sighed, shaking his head. "I worry about the corps."

"That's the final test, right? To make sure that you're ready to be a Demon Slayer?" Musashi asked as Kyojuro sat up again, nodding.

"Mhm," he said, "Usually it's just kids, a couple adults take it, but mostly kids."

She blinked. "Wow, kick ass kids then… who passed?" she asked, leaning back on her hands, her feet dangling off the edge of the _engawa_ as they chatted. Kocho joined them again a moment later.

"Dunno, but apparently it was through a technicality," the Flame Pillar sighed. "He hid the entire time. Didn't slay a single demon."

"Oh my…" Kocho said, frowning. "How did you come by this information so quickly? Normally we wouldn't get the results until the day after."

"I was reporting to Oyakata-sama!" he said jovially, flopping back against Musashi again, who shoved him lightly with another huff. "Kyojuro, you're a walking furnace, if you lay on me again, I'll kill you," she grumbled and he laughed, sitting back up. The pillar's outer jacket to his uniform was unbuttoned, the white undershirt had a few buttons undone but it seemed as if the heat wasn't affecting his jovial disposition.

"Well," the duel wielding woman said with a sigh, "It's great that he passed, but will he be able to go out in the field?"

"That's what we're worried about," Kyojuro said with a shrug. "Hopefully next year will be better! I'm looking forwards to finding another Tsuguko!"

"As long as you don't scare them away with your yelling," Kocho hummed, nodding as she mended a tear in one of the girls' uniforms. All of the girls at the Butterfly Estate were off doing who knows what, leaving the Three Pillars to await orders.

"If my voice scares them then they wont be able to handle Tengen!" Kyojuro countered.

"Much less Shinazugawa and Mitsuri," Musashi added. "And myself as well— I'm not exactly the picture of quiet. That's Giyuu."

Kocho twitched a bit. "Speaking of Tomioka," she hummed, "He got attacked by a dog when we were on our mission."

Musashi turned, giving her a look. "Are you serious?"

"Oh yes," the other woman said with a smile, nodding. "Poor Tomioka, not even dogs like him."

"Yikes," she snorted, shaking her head. "Poor Giyuu. I do wish he'd open up more, but oh well."

"He's a bit of an awkward man but he's got spirit, I think!" Kyojuro agreed.

"Oh my," Kocho hummed, "Since when were you on a first name basis with Tomioka, Musashi?"

She blinked, tilting her head. "Save Iguro and Shinazugawa, I'm on a first name basis with all the Pillars." "Well, now I'm jealous," Kocho teased, "I thought that Mitsuri and I were special cases~" Musashi bowed dramatically. "My darling Shinobu, I would gladly lay my life down for you!"

"Hey! Not if I die first!" Kyojuro joked and the three laughed again as Kocho finished mending the uniform.

"Though, that does beg the question," she hummed, "Why are you still here, Rengoku? Usually you rush off to bother Uzui or find your brother."

"Are you trying to get rid of me so quickly? So mean, Kocho!" the man laughed. "Tengen's not back from his mission and Senjuro is busy! So I'm here because friends hang out together!"

"I'm the friend," Musashi supplied from where she had laid back on the wooden _engawa_. "Plus, I haven't gotten around to building a hut in front of the Rengoku household just to spite Shinjuro. I don't have a place to crash aside from here or a hot ass roof." "Aw, don't do that!" he huffed, poking her cheek, "I told you that you can use one of the spare rooms in the estate!"

"Nope," she hummed before she sat up, "I've actually been meaning to go look around for a house… ahh, but If I suddenly end up Spirited Away that'll be a pain…" she shrugged, "Eh. We'll figure that out later."

"Speaking of which," Kocho hummed, glancing over to the duo. "This is the longest that you've staid in one place right? Do you think that this 'Spiriting Away' has stopped?" she asked and Musashi shrugged again.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, "I mean, I've been in a place for upwards of a month, but we're what, a year and a few months in? So who knows. In Shimousa the pulling feeling I always had settled, and when I got here I didn't really feel it, so maybe it's all over? To be honest, it'd be nice to be able to settle down." she sighed before she twitched frowning. "Not like a wife though, I'd be an awful mother! I'm more of a wanderer and brawler than proper lady!"

She laughed at that, making Kocho laugh gently as well. The Insect Pillar glanced at the Flame Pillar, who was giving Musashi an interesting look. "Brawler?" he asked after a moment and she nodded.

"I'd fight Shinazugawa with my fists!" she declared, "To be honest, I'd fight anyone who asks if they ask when I'm up for a fight!"

"So uncouth," Kocho teased and the three Pillars laughed a bit again.

Shinobu shifted a bit, her eyes opening just a sliver as she glanced at Rengoku and Musashi— she insisted on being called her given name, not her family name, though Kocho understood why when she heard that her father all but tossed her out when her mother passed.

There certainly was something interesting going on between the two. Something that neither of them even realized.

She would have to observe further.

But she had a feeling that no matter the outcome it would be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the cross-ship is a bit obvious at this point. Yes, it's Musashi and Rengoku. Two of my favorites together is Good Civ. Also like, once again, character study (My excuse for everything at this point). Anyways, don't like? Don't read.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we launch right into the plot.

The year passed without too many incidents.

And by without too many incidents, Musashi meant nothing that was overly drastic. No Pillar deaths and Ubuyashiki was still alive and in command of the Corps.

Demon attacks were still overly numerous and volatile, but the Pillars were out and in the field a lot more, moving from one mission to another in rapid secession along with patrolling and keeping as much peace as possible. Musashi didn't mind, she was quite fine with constantly being on the move. She was used to it, after all.

The Pillars had tried to throw a birthday party for her, but then no one knew when she was born that plan fell through. To be fair to them, she wasn't exactly sure which day she had been born either. So, they ended up just all having a party and drinking— and lighting things on fire. Kyojuro did not deny his participation in the act, but Ubuyashiki liked to hear that his children were having fun. Tokito wasn't allowed to drink, but the Pillars learned a lot about each other— and then Shinazugawa got blackout drunk it was a mess.

On a more work-related note, the current year's Final Selection had passed and one of the girls at the Butterfly Estate— Kocho's adopted sister, Kanao— had passed without trouble. Three others had as well, though she had no idea who they were. All boys, though, from what she had heard.

Overall, it was a pretty decent year— in terms of Demon Slayers, that is.

She had just finished up in a village in the north and was heading back when Ritsuka the Crow flew to her with a report to make haste back to Headquarters. Not unusual, though it did surprise her. The annual Pillar Meeting wasn't for another week, but if Ubuyashiki wished for the meeting to be pushed forwards it was no matter. In fact, it seemed that it was necessary to do.

Something had happened on Natagumo Mountain.

Patting Ritsuka the Crow, she held her gently against her chest before she took off. She wasn't too far from Ubuyashiki's estate, but she would have to pick up the speed. Once again, not a problem with how quickly she moved.

She ran through the forest, leaping through the trees and apologizing to resting merchants as she ran past. A few of them shouted at her, but they went ignored as she continued on. When she had first arrived, both Kocho and Kanroji had commented on how she could cover vast amounts of land in a short amount of time and how they didn't understand it. In truth, she didn't either, but she was fine with being able to do so.

The less time she had to spend on a train, the better. Even when she ended up in places far in the future, she had avoided the more mechanical forms of transport— save boats.

Trains were the devil and she wasn't going to go on one if she could help it.

Musashi leaped from the ground into a tree and from the tree up onto a roof before she took off again. A few shouts from villagers who had been woken up below went ignored as she ran along the rooftops before she left the village. Ritsuka the Crow squawked unhappily when she landed and continued onwards. Judging from where she was, Musashi had a feeling she was about halfway there. The moon was still in the sky, but she suspected that by the time she got to Ubuyashiki's Estate, it would be dawn.

She shifted the Crow before she took off again, kicking up dust as she headed towards the Estate.

(x)

Musashi's heels made very little noise as she walked into the garden, letting Ritsuka go as she did. The bird took off in a flurry of disgruntled feathers and Musashi snorted, brushing dust from her haori.

"Musashi!" Kanroji chirped, waving from where she was standing. "Glad you could make it!"

"Weren't you up in the north?" Uzui asked from next to the pink and green haired woman as Musashi walked over to the two.

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal," she said, "If I put my mind to it, I certainly can cover a lot of ground! I'd prefer a horse, to be fair, so maybe I'll have to invest... anyways, it wasn't much of an issue. I wasn't too far north from here."

"Oho? How flamboyant!" Uzui praised, "Are you still sure you don't want to become my fourth wife?"

"I'll make sure you can't have any heirs, Tengen!" Musashi said happily in response as Himejima and Kyojuro walked into the garden with Tokito behind them.

"What's this about making sure Tengen doesn't have any children?" Kyojuro asked as he joined them where they stood.

"Oh, just the usual, Kyojuro!" Musashi hummed, "How did your mission go? You were south of here, right?"

"Yep!" he hummed, "And you were north! Very far away, you ran the entire time, didn't you? My mission went well! I ran into Himejima on the way back too!"

"That sounds fun," Musashi said, reaching up and pulling a leaf from his hair. "You're a mess, though."

Kanroji tilted her head suddenly, thinking. "I've been thinking... do any of you know why we're all here suddenly?" She asked, "I know we normally have a Pillar Meeting around this time, but usually all of us would be in the area, right? Both of you, Himejima, and Tokito were out on missions, due to be back this week, right?"

Musashi nodded before shrugging. "Mm, since the Pillar meeting was scheduled for next week. All I know, though, is that something happened on Natagumo Mountain," she said and Kyojuro nodded.

"Perhaps it has something to do with what happened there?" he suggested, the sun peaking over the horizon.

"Those poor souls…" Himejima rumbled, tears dripping from his eyes as Iguro arrived. The Snake Pillar only glanced over before he scaled his usual tree to settle in. Shinazugawa sauntered in not too long afterward, scowling at Musashi before he walked off to do who knows what. The two of them still didn't get along— their ideologies clashed too much.

"That mountain's been causing trouble for a while, hasn't it?" Kanroji sighed, "I don't want to question orders, a Pillar should have been sent as soon as possible…"

"I know Kocho and Tomioka were on the case as of last evening," Kyojuro said, "At least, I think so."

"We had it under control, yes," Kocho's voice hummed as she suddenly dropped down by them. Tomioka arrived not too much later, standing apart from the main group. "But Tomioka was protecting a little girl who became a demon, how sad…"

"Tomioka was?" Uzui asked, scowling a bit as the Pillars turned to glance at the lone Water Pillar.

"That's against code…" Kanroji added, shifting a bit as she frowned. Musashi ran a hand through her hair, giving a shrug in response as she glanced at the other woman.

"He should be tied up like the piece of shit he is," Shinazugawa's voice barked as the Kakushi dropped a boy in a green and black checkered haori unceremoniously to the ground, another holding a box in their arms.

"Then who's the kid?" Musashi asked and Kocho hummed.

"Kamado Tanjirou, the demon's brother," she said after a moment as they watched the Kakushi member attempt to wake the boy up.

"He looks injured… this can't wait, though can it?" she asked the other Pillar and she shook her head. Musashi sighed before she moved back to Kyojuro.

"Scoot over, you walking furnace," she hummed and the Flame Pillar just chuckled, allowing her into her usual spot between him and Kanroji. The entire situation was strange. Surely the Master knew of this, but if no one but the Water Pillar knew, then maybe not? How long had this been going on? How long had the girl been a demon? There were too many pieces missing.

She blinked out of her thoughts as the boy jolted awake, gasping and gazing up at the Pillars assembled before him. Uzui raised an unimpressed brow.

"What a bummer," the man sighed, "I heard that he was a Demon Slayer with a demon in tow, so I was looking forwards to someone flamboyant… but that's one drab-looking dude, huh?"

Himejima said nothing, simply rubbing his hands together as he murmured to himself ("Namu, namu…") but Kyojuro nodded.

"Umu!" He agreed, "And now, we'll put him on trial!"

"Be polite, he can't help it," Musashi scolded the two men who spoke. "Just because he can't be as flashy as you doesn't mean you can be rude about his looks."

"Apologies!" Kyojuro said, "I understand!"

Kocho barely hid a snort as Tanjirou's brows furrowed.

"Wh- who are you people—" he started before his head was pushed down by the Kakushi member.

"You're in the presence of the Pillars!"

The boy's gaze only became confused as they all gazed down at him. He wasn't that impressive, though considering the colorful figures that Musashi had met, she wasn't surprised. His reddish eyes were striking though and something about those earrings he had...

"This is the Demon Slayers' Headquarters," Kocho spoke, her smile never leaving her face. "And you're about to be put on trial… Kamado Tanjirou. Now—"

Kyojuro shook his head, cutting Kocho off. "There's no need for a trial here!" he insisted, "Protecting demons is clearly a violation of conduct!"

"Manners, Rengoku!" Musashi huffed, lightly smacking his chest with the back of her hand.

"Apologies!"

"She has him whipped..." Uzui uttered and Kanroji bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Either way, we can deal with this by ourselves!" Kyojuro continued, "It is our duty to decapitate every demon!"

"If that's the case, then I'll be glad to decapitate it flamboyantly," the Sound Pillar spoke up, eyes filled with disdain towards Tanjirou. "I'll show I can spay blood more flamboyantly than anyone else. I'm talking max flamboyance."

Musashi sweat before she glanced at Himejima, only to see the man openly weeping again.

"Ahhh… what a pitiful sight this boy is…" he said, "It's so sorrowful that he was born into this world."

"In accordance with the code, we've got no choice then," Musashi sighed, brushing a bit of dirt from her haori as the boy looked around wildly. "I guess we'll just have to do it... ahh, it's kinda a sad thing, though... He's just a kid."

"He still violates the code. We shall kill him flamboyantly," Uzui pointed out.

"Umu!" Kyojuro agreed again.

"More importantly," Iguro spoke up from his tree, hand extended as he pointed to Tomioka. "What are we going to do about Tomioka? I have a headache not seeing him bound there."

His snake's tongue flicked as he gazed down at them. "According to Kocho, Tomioka violated the Demon Slayer Conduct as well. How will we deal with him? How will we make him pay? Are we going to make him—"

"Lay off him, Iguro," Musashi said, cutting him off. "Tomioka came here without resisting, right, Kocho? We can talk about punishment for him later."

The Insect Pillar nodded. "Mm. He followed me without a ruckus," she confirmed as the Snake Pillar glared at Musashi's back. He was met with an equally unwavering stare from Kyojuro as Musashi and Kocho spoke to one another. The Snake Pillar looked away first, scowling under his bandages as the Flame Pillar's duel toned eyes pierced into him. For as friendly as the man was, he was intense.

"I would like to hear this boy's story first," the smaller woman mused.

"The reason he's been going on missions with a demon in tow, despite being a Demon Slayer…? That does sound interesting," the Void Pillar agreed with the smaller woman as the boy pulled himself into a sitting position. She glanced over her at Kyojuro, Uzui, and Iguro with a deadpan look.

"Before you hotheaded execution enthusiasts get to him, I would also like to hear his explanation."

"'Execution enthusiasts'?" Kyojuro asked with a tilt of his head and she shrugged, turning back and watching as Kocho spoke to the boy.

"You're too excited about executing the kid," she said simply, "Therefore, enthusiasts."

"Oh, I see!"

A dry cough came from Tanjirou as he tried to speak and Kocho walk over with a small gourd of water. She pressed it to his lips, talking softly to him as he drank. He panted when he pulled from the gourd.

"It's not as if your wounds are healed," the Insect Pillar said, "So you mustn't push yourself. Now then, Kamado Tanjirou…"

The boy panted a bit longer, still trying to recover before he pulled his head up to face them again.

"That demon is my younger sister!" he told them, "She was turned into a demon, but she has never eaten someone before. Up until now and from now on, she will never hurt a living person!"

"Don't spit out stupid, rash remarks so easily," Iguro hissed, "For starters, of course you'd defend her since she's family. I can't trust anything you're saying."

"Ahh…" Himejima sighed, more tears dripping freely from his eyes. "She's been possessed by a demon… Let us kill the poor child immediately so that she can be liberated."

"Is there any chance that I can see this demon?" Musashi asked, her arms crossed. "If her _karma_ has been severed, then I don't think we'd have anything to fear… then again, she might be dead if _I_ tried to sever it."

"You're being murderous now!" Kyojuro laughed.

"I am not! I'm just saying that I can't be the one to cut those threads!"

"Please listen!" Tanjirou cried, breaking up the conversation and making Kocho tilt her head. "I became a swordsman to cure Nezuko! It's been two years since Nezuko became a demon and in that time Nezuko hasn't eaten a person!"

"Your story's spinning in the drabbest way possible," Uzui spat, "The fact that she hasn't eaten anyone, that fact that she won't from now on. Don't just give lip service, give us a more flamboyant explanation."

"Excuse me?" Kanroji asked, drawing attention to her. "I have a question… it doesn't seem that Oyakata-sama has arrived yet… Should we really deal with this on our own?"

Musashi blinked, glancing at her as Kyojuro and Uzui seemed to think about it as they stared down at the two of them.

"You're right," Musashi said after a moment. "This is something that's abnormal to the corps... I feel like we should wait until Oyakata-sama arrives. He's the one who called us here early, it's the least we can do."

She turned back to Tanjirou and Kyojuro made a hum of agreement. Tanjirou seemed to be gazing at them in fear, his brows furrowed before he spoke again.

"My sister and I can fight together!" he cried, voice rising. "We can fight to protect people as Demon Slayers! So—!"

"Whoa, whoa, this got somewhat interesting," Shinazugawa said as he walked over. Musashi had to bite back a sigh. She had forgotten that the Wind Pillar was even in the garden. Though it was silly, as all ten of the Pillars were there and waiting. Perhaps it was more like she had hoped he would keep his brash actions to himself this time?

Turning, she glanced over at Shinazugawa with a raised brow. The white-haired man had a slightly crazed look in his eyes as he held the box that the Kakushi had been holding in one hand.

"So you're the idiotic member who brought the demon?" he asked as the Kakushi member behind him tried to stop the Wind Pillar from whatever he was going to do. "What the hell were you planning to do?"

Kocho stood slowly, her gaze frigid as she turned to face the other Pillar.

"Please don't act on your own, Shinazugawa," she said coldly, though she was ignored as Shinazugawa continued on.

"What did you say about that demon, kid?" he asked, "That she can fight as a Demon Slayer to protect humans? You see, about that…" He reached for his sword as he spoke and Musashi's hand instantly moved to her own. Kyojuro glanced over, moving a hand to stop her.

"That's impossible you moron!" the Wind Pillar sneered, drawing his blade quickly. Tanjirou leaped forwards as the Wind Pillar made a move to stab the box, but the boy stopped short when a loud 'clang' sounded in the garden. Musashi had moved faster than the others had expected, her designated Earth _nichirin_ blade drawn and held in front of where Shinazugawa's own would have pierced the box. The Wind Pillar's arm had been forced back at the impact, eyes wide before they narrowed. Musashi, on the other hand, was blank-faced as she quickly pivoted and snagged the box from him.

"Miyamoto—!" he snarled as he stumbled back. "What the fuck are you doing—!?"

"Well, first of all, it's called being a decent person," she said flatly, pushing him lightly to the ground. "Secondly, Oyakata-sama's arriving soon, so behave. We already agreed to wait and see what the Master wants us to do."

She paused before she scowled. "And I've told you, I don't want to be associated with that man," she added, as she carried the box to the engawa and set it down. The other Pillars simply observed, knowing full well that Shinazugawa and Musashi butt heads more than the Wind Pillar and Tomioka did— or Tomioka and Iguro, for that matter. Wisely, they stayed out of the crossfire. Kocho tilted her head as Musashi gazed at the box, her visible searching before she reached up, pulling her eyepatch out of the way and opening her other eye.

Still nothing.

"Musashi," the Insect Pillar asked, "Do you see anything?"

She shook her head as she put her eyepatch back in place.

"I don't. But it could simply be because of the box," she admitted, "But either way, we should be waiting until the master arrives. He gives us leeway to act in certain situations, but if he ordered for them to be brought here, we shouldn't test our boundaries. I want to believe that the fact that there is no _karma_ is because there really isn't, not because of some wood blocking my senses…"

Kocho seemed to accept what she said, nodding as Musashi moved back to the other pillars. Kyojuro glanced at her and she shrugged a bit in response to his questioning look.

Shinazugawa was glaring at her, the Wind Pillar looking like he was ready to start a fight, but he never got the chance. A moment after Musashi was in place, the decorative _shoji_ doors opened and Ubuyashiki's eldest set of twins both stepped out.

"Oyakata-sama has arrived," the two said and the Pillars turned to face the engawa. Soft footsteps sounded from inside the estate before Ubuyashiki Kaguya, better known as Oyakata-sama, stepped out.

"So good of you to come," the man said, his voice soft but carrying authority, "My beloved children."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So something's always bothered me about Musashi's relationship with her father. We know that FGO Musashi's father abandoned her because she was a girl, but I always felt that it wasn't taken as seriously as it could have been. Musashi's mother, historically, died in childbirth— assuming that this is the same case, Musashi would have been abandoned as an infant. She says that she built a hut in front of his house to spite him, but I feel that there's a lot more trauma and such in her life. Probably doesn't help that it seems like she was around teenaged-age when she first started world hopping. I'm taking liberty in expanding on the relationship Musashi has with her father, and I always thought that it was interesting that you call her by her first name instead of her last— like Hijikata, Yagyu, Li, and Oktia. Nobunaga and Tomoe you don't, and ofc there are the ones whose last names we just don't use in-game (Ushiwakamaru, for example)— which could've been a sign of familiarity, but you know.
> 
> Fun fact, Li's family name. Shuwen is his first name and I'm still reeling.
> 
> Another note is, I'm taking another liberty in that Musashi can see Karma in this fic. Her damaged eye is her Heavnely Eye, if I recall correctly, which allows her to use Zero and map out all possible outcomes, so an expansion on that, kinda? If not, just think of it similar to the sense squad, Ubuyashiki, and Tengen with crazy abilities.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big yikes with chapter 202.
> 
> With the lockdown, I have a rough time figuring out how many days its been. Everything blends together, so if updates seem to be at random, I'm sorry. I'm waiting to see what the manga does before continuing with some of my draftings, but I think we can expect updates to be odd for all my stories.

Ubuyashiki's daughters closed the _shoji_ doors quietly before they both stood, moving to their father. One of them took his hand while the other allowed him to rest his other hand on her shoulder before the three of them made their way out to the _engawa_ to the rest of the Pillars.

"Good morning, everybody. Is the sky blue, today?" he greeted as his daughters led him to the edge of the _engawa_. "Our members have gathered for the Pillar Meeting that we hold once every six months as per usual… it pleases me that we've all made it today."

Musashi knelt with the others, head bowed in respect as Shinazugawa slammed Tanjirou's head down.

"We find it most honorable to be in your presence, Oyakata-sama," she said calmly, gazing up at the cursed man, who smiled down at them in return. "We eagerly pray for much happiness upon you."

"Thank you, Musashi," the man said lightly as he slowly sat down. Shinazugawa shifted, his intense aura back as he spoke up.

"If I may, Oyakata-sama," he started, raising his head. "Before we start the Pillar Meeting, would you mind enlightening us about this swordsman, Kamado, Tanjirou, accompanied by a demon?"

Oyataka-sama seemed to gaze down at Tanjirou for a moment before he raised his head. "Right. I see... I'm sorry that he has surprised you all," he apologized. "As for Tanjirou and Nezuko… I've given my permission for their situation. I would like it if everyone here would accept them."

Eh?

Musashi's eye widened as she gazed up at the master of the Demon Slayers. The same shock seemed to be reflected in the others' expressions before Himejima moved first, putting his hands together as tears dripped from his face again.

"Even though Oyakata-sama wishes for us to do so… I am reluctant to give my consent," he admitted and Uzui nodded.

"I also flamboyantly oppose this," he agreed, "I can never accept a Demon Slayer who brings demons along."

"I will abide with all your accordances, Oyakata-sama!" Kanroji declared, despite the two Pillars prior to her's words. Tokito only gazed forwards blankly.

"Either way is fine with me… I'll forget about it either way…" he said, though Kocho and Tomioka both remained silent.

"I don't trust them, I won't trust them," Iguro hissed, "We all hate demons and kill them, to begin with."

"If it's what Oyakata-sama wants, we can't exactly go _against_ it," Musashi pointed out, brows furrowed, "I'm with Kanroji, though I can't exactly place where Oyakata-sama's coming from..."

Kyojuro nodded, his smile never leaving his face but it no longer reached his eyes. "Indeed! While I respect you with all my heart, Oyakata-sama, I can't understand your thinking!" he agreed, though didn't say anything on the matter of agreeing or disagreeing.

"The Demon Slayer Corps' mission is to annihilate demons," Shinazugawa said, his voice on the edge of a snarl, "I wish to punish both Kamado and Tomioka. On that line of thought, I wish to punish Miyamoto for defending them."

"I told you that I don't want any association with that name," Musashi sighed. Shinazugawa glared at her in return.

"I hardly think that's what you should be worried about, _woman_ ," He hissed in return. Musashi's hand twitched and Kanroji and Kyojuro grabbed her wrists before she could draw her blades on the other Pillar. It wasn't the fact that Shinmen 'owned' the family name "Miyamoto", it was the association with her father that made her twitch and made her blood start to heat up. The Pillars knew this, she had told them the story before since they wanted to know the difference between her and the historical man. She tried to play it off, but the abandonment struck her hard, so she did her best to distance herself from her father. Despite her protests against using her family name and for them to simply use her given instead, Shinazugawa still used it on purpose to provoke her into a fight.

She knew this.

The other Pillars knew this.

Oyataka-sama shifted, pulling their attention back as Musashi pulled free of the two other Pillars.

"The letter," the man said, glancing towards one of his daughters. Her smile never wavered as she pulled a piece of parchment from her kimono.

"Yes," she said before she opened it. "We received this letter from the Former Water Pillar, Urokodaki Sakonji-sama. I will read an extraction from it."

She glanced down at the paper. "— _"Please allow Tanjiro to be accompanied by his sister, a demon. Nezuko had a tenacious spirit and she retains some human reasoning. Even when she's starving, she doesn't eat Humans and she has stayed that way for more than two years"_ ," the girl read off, " _"You may find this sudden and difficult to believe, but it is the unmistaken truth. If by any chance Nezuko ever attacks someone, Kamado Tanjirou, as well as Urokadaki Sakonji and Tomioka Giyuu, will atone by committed_ seppuku _."_ "

Musashi kept her face passive as she let the contents of the letter sink in.

_Seppuku._

It had been a long time since she had heard that word.

Honorable, yet shameful at the same time.

Painful, yet a sign of loyalty.

"So what if they commit _seppuku?_ " Shinazugawa asked, bringing attention to him. "If they want to die, then they can just die and rot away. There's no guarantee in all of this."

Musashi nodded, grimacing a bit. "While I don't like how he put it, and I'm not one to always agree with him, Shinazugawa _is_ correct. A life taken cannot replace a life lost."

"If she kills and eats someone, it can't be undone," Kyojuro agreed. Ubuyashiki nodded slowly.

"That is very true," he agreed, "They can't guarantee that she won't attack people. But… you can't prove that shell attack someone either."

That made Shinazugawa stiffen.

"Oyakata-sama," Musashi spoke up, "I saw no _karma_ from Nezuko's box, but I am unsure if it is because of how the box was made. If there are two other people who are putting their lives on the line for Nezuko, then I would like to confirm if there is _karma_ that connects her to the others. While it is possible that a demon with severed _karma_ could still harm humans, humans also harm humans. If anything, a demon with severed _karma_ who is still alive could be closer to being human than anything else we've encountered so far. If those who wish her dead still wish to act when I am done, they'll have to present something that has more weight than the Water Pillar and his predecessor."

"Indeed." The blind man seemed to nod in understanding as he thought. "I will allow it. And should the those who deny what Urokadaki writes still do so, then they must present something more than what is written here…" He said after a moment as he gazed out at the Pillars. "Do you have the will to do so?"

Musashi felt Kyojuro tense slightly as their Master continued. "Also, there is something else that I would like to relay to you, my children," He said, "Tanjirou has come into contact with Kibutsuji."

With those few words, the assembled Pillars fell into various forms of shock.

"That can't be!" Uzui exclaimed, "Not even us Pillars have come into contact with him!"

He turned suddenly, knocking Kanroji down on accident (she let out a soft 'kya!?' before Musashi helped her up) as he and the others gazed at Tanjirou. "You mean this kid… What did he look like? What about his powers!?"

"Where was this?" Musashi asked as she pat Kanroji's shoulder.

"Did you fight him?" Tokito asked, tilting his head slightly.

Shinazugawa shook Tanjirou violently, grasping him by the hair. "What was Kibutsuji doing!? Did you find his stronghold!? Hey! Answer me!" he snarled and Musashi pinched the bridge of her nose as she thought. If they didn't give the boy time to respond to the questions, then they wouldn't be getting answers out of him. Shaking his head up and down probably didn't help either.

Still, she understood why the other Pillars were so curious. Kibutsuji Muzan was not a name that was unfamiliar with her.

He was their Shuten Douji. Their Ibaraki Douji. Their Goetia. Their Caster of Limbo. Their Shirou Amakusa.

Their big bad.

Shuten and Ibaraki no longer walked the earth. The Oni of ancient days had all vanished and no longer existed— except for in legend as far as the public and a majority of the Demon Slayers were concerned.

But Kibutsuji Muzan…

Kibutsuji Muzan was a danger.

She glanced up as the arguing Pillars suddenly fell silent and returned to their kneeling positions. Ubuyashiki had his finger pressed against his lips, quieting them with the gesture.

"Kibutsuji has sent pursuers after Tanjiro," he said calmly. "While his purpose may simply be to silence him, now that Kibutsuji's given himself away for the first time, I don't intend to let go. I also believe that something's happening to Nezuko that Kibutsuji never saw coming."

She heard Tanjirou gasp softly as the Pillars remained silent.

"Can you try to understand why I would like them to stay with us?" Ubuyashiki asked them.

"No, I can't understand, Oyakata-sama," Shinazugawa hissed, trembling with barely controlled rage. "If it were a human, I'd be okay with letting it live, but not a demon! Even Miyamoto's half-freak self is preferable."

"That's rude," Musashi uttered, "I'm no less human than you are, Shinazugawa."

The Wind Pillar glared at her as he lifted his head, drawing his blade and slicing his arm. Blood spilled onto the stones in the garden as he held his arm up.

"I will prove it to you myself!" he declared, "The ugliness of what we call demons!"

He stood as Ubuyashiki gave him an even gaze. The white-haired man walked over to where Musashi had set the box, kicking it over onto the ground and planting his foot on it. He stabbed his blade into the wood, pulling it out and holding his arm over the box. Blood dripped from his arm onto the wood as he held his arm over it.

"Hey, demon! It's time to eat!" he sneered, "Sink your teeth into this!"

Scratching and growls came from inside the box and he sneered down at it. "No need to force yourself to hold back."

"Shinazugawa," Iguro said, glancing down at him with unreadable eyes. "It's no good doing it in the sunlight. We have to go into the shadows or the demon won't show its face."

Shinazugawa considered the Snake Pillar's words before he spoke.

"Oyakata-sama. Please forgive this discourtesy," he said slowly, grasping the box's straps before he leaped into the house, landing behind Ubuyashiki and his daughters.

He stabbed his blade into the wood again and a soft cry of pain made Musashi jolt slightly.

"Stop it!" Tanjirou cried as he made a move to lunge forwards. Iguro slammed his elbow into his back, knocking the breath out of the boy's lungs and possibly cracking a few ribs from the impact— the Snake Pillar most likely broke an arm too.

"Come on out, demon," Shinazugawa taunted, pulling his sword from the box before thrusting it back in several more times. "Look, it's the human blood you love so much!"

Kanroji flinched, hearing the demon's soft cries. This wasn't like any of the other demons who had begged for their lives. This was more like a tormented child.

A spark flashed and suddenly Musashi could see it. The threads of _karma_. But instead of being cut or simply appearing, the threads were being formed, created.

If Shinazugawa continued, then he would no longer be testing Nezuko. He would be transforming her.

The outcome wouldn't be good if that happened. Shinazugawa would be first, throat most likely ripped out before he could do a thing. If Oyakata-sama wasn't after that, his children would be, and that would be before the Pillars could get to them. That would mean that they would end up with at least two pillars lost, along with a promising recruit, and an alley.

"Oyakata-sama! Pardon my rudeness!" Musashi cried as she stood, easily pulling out of her haori when Kyojuro, Kanroji, and Uzui made an attempt to pull her back. She took one step before she leaped past him and tackled Shinazugawa to the floor.

In one swift movement, she flipped him onto his stomach and pinned his arm behind his back. She kept him pinned down with her knee pressed against his back as well before the door of the box was flung open. Shinazugawa struggled under her hold, but she grabbed his head and slammed his chin into the floor, disorienting him and stopping his movement for the time being. She reached up, pulling her eyepatch off and opening her other eye again.

The demon rose slowly from the box, growing to her full height as the Pillars watched in stunned silence. In the shadows of the room, it seemed like even the sightless eyes of Himejima and Ubuyashiki could see the unnatural brightness of Musashi's own. And if the Pillars looked even closer, magenta threads that didn't exist to their eyes were reflected in her own— snapping and vanishing.

Musashi reached down, pressing her hand against the slash that the Wind Pillar had made to his arm and smearing the blood on her palm. She held it up and out to the demon, watching her twitch as her eyes stared at her.

Shinazugawa's blood held special properties, it was intoxication-inducing to many demons and was considerably more… delicious to them, according to Kocho.

If the girl refused his blood, that should be enough. The demon's fingers flexed at her sides as she panted from behind the bamboo muzzle around her mouth. Sweat beaded and dripped down her brow, an internal struggle just barely visible in her eyes as Musashi watched the last few threads of _karma_ start to snap.

Just a little bit more. She had to push more.

"Your name is Nezuko, right?" She asked softly as Shinazugawa's blood dripped through her fingers. "I can tell that you're fighting back against the threads of _karma_ …" she murmured as the girl trembled, gazing at her intensely. "You broke free of them once, didn't you? You can't allow them to reconnect."

"Reconnect?"

"Does she mean that the provocation would have turned that little demon hostile?"

"Musashi, can you explain?"

Musashi was silent, watching before she let out a breath as Nezuko turned from the blood, clenching her fists so tightly that her clawed nails dug unto her palms.

The final thread snapped.

Musashi smiled before she wiped her hand on Shinazugawa's back and stood. Nezuko gave her a wary look as saliva dripped down her chin from around the muzzle, but Musashi ignored it, reaching down and lightly brushing her hair back.

"Good girl," she said softly before she turned back to the garden. "Alright, Nezuko has rejected Shinazugawa's blood," she said, addressing the other Pillars, "Is that enough for you all?"

At the hesitant nods from the others, she pulled Shinazugawa to his feet and tossed him into the garden. He landed on his feet, shaking his head and glaring at her. She ignored him as she walked to stand by Oyataka-sama and his daughters. "Oh, and, get off of Kamado, Iguro. You're crushing his lungs."

The Snake Pillar seemed reluctant, but at a sharp look from Kyojuro and Kocho, the smaller Pillar relented. Tanjirou let out a gasp of breath, collapsing where he lay.

Musashi nodded, tying her eyepatch back into place before she clapped her hands. "I've told you before about how I can see curses and _karma_ — what makes a demon a demon, essentially. Or rather, what binds the demon to Kibutsuji. All demons I've fought have it, but for Nezuko there were no threads of _karma_. Originally, I had thought that it was simply just a case of the box's properties, but then I saw that _karma_ was being _formed_ ," she explained. "Nezuko's _karma_ had already been severed by the time she was brought here. When _karma_ is cut, the demon dies."

"It seems as if Nezuko is a special case," Ubuyashiki mused and Musashi nodded.

"Yes. Nezuko is not bound to Kibutsuji. Her _karma_ is no longer attached, but it is there, so she's still a demon. That said, she's not dead without the attached _karma_. So long as we don't give her a reason to attack humans— such as the idiotic stunt that Shinazugawa and Iguro just pulled— she will refuse to eat. Right now, those formed threads have broken off again," she said, "But give her a reason to, those threads of _karma_ will return. This isn't a matter of if you like demons or not, but rather, do you really think that we can take Kibutsuji and the Twelve Moons on with just a few Pillars? I'd advise against provoking Nezuko."

A few of the pillars exchanged looks as she spoke, seeming unsure, but there was nothing more to prove. Nezuko wouldn't attack humans. It was slow, but they agreed with nods— well, most of them at least.

"Now that this matter is sorted out," Ubuyashiki hummed and Musashi walked back to her spot, pulling her haori back on. "Tanjirou, there will still be other people who won't willingly agree about Nezuko. You just have to prove that from this point on, you and Nezuko can be useful enough to fight with the Demon Slayers."

The Master's voice seemed to calm the restless Pillars and Tanjirou bowed, seeming to also be affected by the man's voice.

"Defeat the Twelve Demon Moons," Ubuyashiki continued. "Do that, and you'll be accepted by all. And it will give more weight to your words."

The boy startled before he steeled his resolve. "I… Nezuko and I will defeat Kibutsuji Muzan!" He declared, raising his head with a determined look in his eyes. "Definitely, Nezuko and I will wield our swords and cut through the chains of agony!"

Ubuyashiki just smiled. "You can't defeat him as you are now, Tanjirou," he said, "So first, try and defeat one of the Twelve Demon Moons."

"Y… yes sir," Tanjirou said, deflating as his face flushed red.

Kanroji barely managed to hold in a snicker, hiding her mouth with her hands, but Kocho and Himejima laughed softly and openly. Uzui twitched as he held in his laughter as Musashi bit her lower lip, but couldn't keep her lips from curling upwards.

Tanjirou looked just like a child being scolded by a parent.

"It goes without saying that the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps naturally have talents that surpass you," Ubuyashiki said, "After training themselves to the death, they have defied it. Each of them have also defeated one of the Twelve Moons."

"Umu!" Kyojuro said, nodding and Musashi curled her hands into his haori, turning her head to keep from laughing. "It's a good outlook to have!"

"That is why the Pillars receive respect and preferential treatment," the Master of the Demon Slayers continued. "Tanjirou, you should also be careful about how you speak to them."

"Y… yes, sir," Tanjirou said softly.

"And one more thing," he said as he turned to Shinazugawa and Iguro. "Sanemi, Obanai, don't bully the younger ones too much." he turned to Musashi, who had since looked back over. "Musashi, try not to get into too cause too much harm to my Estate next time."

"As you command," the three Pillars said. Nezuko seemed to be glaring at Shinazugawa from her box.

"Tanjirou, we have concluded our business with you," Ubuyashiki said. "You may step back."

Kocho raised a hand. "In that case, allow me to take Kamado into my Estate," she said with a smile. Tanjirou looked confused as the Insect Pillar clapped her hands. "Okay! Take him away!" she hummed and the _Kakushi_ from before sprinted past them all.

"Pardon me for cutting in front of you!" he called as he grabbed Tanjirou. Musashi settled back, letting out a breath as both of the _Kakushi_ ran out of the garden.

Ubuyashiki turned back to the Pillars. "Now, the Pillar meeting will—" "Please wait a minute!"

Tanjirou sprinted back into the garden, the _Kakushi_ members chasing after him. Musashi shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose as the boy yelled about needing to headbutt Shinazugawa for every time he stabbed Nezuko.

Tokito seemed to have had enough, picking up a few of the small rocks and firing them at the other boy.

"You're not allowed to interrupt the Master," the normally listless boy said as he tossed a fourth stone in his hand.

The two _Kakushi_ bowed, begging for forgiveness as Kanroji looked past Musashi and Kyojuro to glance at the young boy.

"Just get out of our sight," the Mist Pillar said.

"Y- Yes, sir!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're moving hella fast, but the train arc starts next chapter. If y'all are anime only's, uhhh.... be careful. You're in danger. On another note, I drew a picture of Kyojuro in the FGO Sprite style. You can find the image on my instagram (@_Penguinarts_ ) or on reddit u/penguinlordlyra
> 
> Anyways, stay safe and all that!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Train arc, train arc! I edited this instead of working on a paper that was due. So here's an early chapter.
> 
> To those who stopped reading until the movie: That's totally fine. From this chapter onwards this going to have Manga spoilers. This is the LAST warning to those who are ANIME only. Those who read and watch KnY... well, we're gonna fix some stuff. And break some other things. If you're curious about to the extent, the Tags for this story on Ao3 kind of summarize it. Anyways, SPOILERS AHEAD! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED, ANIME ONLYS, THERE ARE SPOILERS.

After the Pillar Meeting, the weeks passed without too much incident. Shinazugawa was still pissed about the Kamado siblings, but he didn't go against the Master's orders. Musashi didn't bother with paying much attention to the Wind Pillar's grumblings if she could help it.

Nonetheless, after a few missions on a smaller scale, the Void Pillar found herself with new orders. Orders that detailed a mission with Kyojuro, but unfortunately, the said mission involved trains.

Trains always unnerved Musashi. No matter what era she was warped into, they unnerved her to no end. Boats were fine, but the idea of being in an enclosed space moving at max speed? She wasn't overly fond of it.

And the other Pillars knew it.

The first train came to Japan two hundred years after she was born and even though she had been dimension hopping for most of her life, it was still unnerving to her. Especially since she was used to being on foot or horseback during most of her travels.

So, Ubuyashiki had always been careful about where she was sent. Missions that were farther from her location were always accompanied with a few bills and coins for her to get access to a horse. Missions that she was required to use the train (usually in cases of urgency) would end with her restless and constantly twitchy. In response to it, Kocho had created a type of sedative that would lull her to sleep, yet still keep her senses alert in case of an attack. It worked both ways for her and whoever she was with.

Usually, it was with Kyojuro. Occasionally Kanroji or Kocho, but more often than not it was the Flame Pillar.

The Flame Pillar had jokingly complained that he was tired of having to tie Musashi up in his Haori to keep her still.

(Kocho would later tease the man with Uzui about it, telling him that he definitely didn't mind. Musashi would later wonder if Ubuyashiki was trying to create a set-up.)

Musashi had just returned from a mission, reporting in to Ubuyashiki at the same time the Flame Pillar had been. The two of them got their next orders then and there— investigate the Infinity Train. To be exact, Kyojuro had been ordered to investigate the train and the strange disappearances that surrounded it. Musashi had been asked to accompany him, despite her deep aversion to the locomotive. But she couldn't go against Ubuyashiki's orders (it would be like kicking a puppy— a _blind_ puppy) so she had gone to Kocho for the sedatives she made.

A good thing too...

...

...

...

Kyojuro had gotten tired of her twitching and leg bouncing before the train even started moving. He eventually tossed her the small container of sedatives and she was asleep within minutes.

The Flame Pillar glanced over to the sleeping swordswoman with a soft look on his face. In all honesty, he was glad that Oyakata-sama had Musashi join him. He figured that he could take on whatever this mission was by himself, but she was always welcome.

It was strange if he thought about it more, he realized as he dug into one of the many bentos that he had been eating. Ever since he had found Musashi in that village two years ago, the two of them had ended up working together seamlessly. At first, he had simply wanted to be on good terms with the strange yet powerful woman, so he had offered her lodging until she could get a permeant place to stay— even if someone preferred to travel, it was always nice to have a place to return to.

Then the shift from 'friendly coworkers' to 'close friends' had happened and he found himself drawn to her. He listened when she scolded him, and she listened when he did the same. They fought flawlessly together, and he noticed that whenever the Pillars trained together, she was watching and taking note of everything the others did.

Musashi was a mystery still, but as of late he started to feel something pounding at his chest whenever she was close. When she grabbed his haori in order to hide her laughter at the Pillar Meeting he felt his heart thud in his ears. He couldn't take his eyes off of her when she tackled Shinazugawa to the ground. When she fought, she moved with such grace and when the two went out to eat, she just laughed off the insane amount of food the two of them.

He felt twitchy whenever Uzui joked about making her his fourth wife (He had three already!) and he had begun to feel secretly satisfied when she directed her attention to him.

Walking Furnace is what she called him. He liked that she stood next to him and always was between him and Kanroji during Pillar Meetings! He was even happier that she and Kanroji got along so well. The Love Pillar _had_ been his former _tsuguko,_ after all.

He wasn't sure what to call the burning feeling in his chest, but Kyojuro decided that he could figure it out later. It was important to focus on the mission, after all. "Tasty!" he hummed as he ate, leaning back in the train seat. His eyes glanced over to where Musashi was. Her usual _kasa_ was resting on the seat as she leaned against the window of the train, her bangs falling into her face. The vibrant pinks and magentas peaked out from under her bright blue haori. He didn't know why she chose to forgo the Corps uniform when so much protection from the weather and lower-ranked demons was offered with it, but he assumed it had to do with her Dimension Hopping status.

He dreaded the day she would inevitably vanish.

Shaking the depressing thought off, he felt his hand twitch as a boarding passenger glanced down at Musashi as he passed. Specifically her legs and the skin that her haori and stockings didn't manage to cover. The gaze lingered there for only one or two seconds, but that was too long in Kyojuro's books!

It was impolite!

With a huff, he set aside his bento and pulled his own haori off, gently tossing it over Musashi. It settled and covered her from prying eyes and the Flame Pillar let out a satisfied hum.

He picked his bento back up. "Tasty!" he hummed again as he continued to eat.

Musashi shifted a bit as the train lurched, starting to move. It seemed as if it was time.

"Tasty!"

If he was lucky, would he be able to see how Musashi's _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ was in a true battle? Whenever the two fought together he was always focused on slaying the demon and whenever they trained with the others, she held back out of not wanting to kill anyone. He was curious. How much more weight and intent did her strikes carry?

He set the bento aside, picking another one up as Musashi's hand twitched. He glanced at her, tilting his head.

Maybe she was dreaming?

He felt his smile relax a bit as he gazed at the woman.

He hoped it was a good dream.

(x)

Whatever Tanjirou had been expecting when he, Inosuke, and Zenitsu got their orders to meet up with not only the Flame Pillar but also the Void Pillar, it wasn't this.

He knew who the flame Pillar was. It wasn't hard to figure it out even without all the scents of the Pillars. A fiery looking man like him?

There was no doubt about it— the man with the golden and red colored hair _had_ to be the Flame Pillar.

Rengoku, Kyojuro.

Of course, he wasn't sure who exactly the Void Pillar was when he first got his orders— all three of the women Pillars didn't smell like a particular element (or animal, Iguro smelt like a snake) to him. Perfume, Medicine, and something that smelt like a mix of the trees in the spring and static.

Thank the gods that Miss Shinobou had described what she looked like when he asked.

The Void Pillar was the eyepatched woman who tackled the Wind Pillar and talked about "Karma" in relation to demons. A woman with impressive strength and the scent of trees and static.

Her name was Musashi Miyamoto and she preferred to be called by her given name.

Still, maybe it was just because of his initial impression of the two Pillars at the Meeting, but he didn't expect to find them like this. With Rengoku shouting 'Tasty!' as he ate and Musashi sleeping soundly through the noise that her fellow Pillar was making, Tanjirou decided that he didn't blame Zenitsu's incredulity.

"Um… excuse me…?" Tanjirou ventured as he approached the Flame Pillar.

"Tasty!" was the only response he got, so he tried again.

"Re- Rengoku..."

The Flame Pillar finally turned to him, eyes bright and as piercing as ever with the duel colored irises. "Tasty!"

Tanjirou sweat. "Ah- I- Understand very well already…" he said slowly before he moved to sit on the Flame Pillar's other side. He was careful not to disturb Musashi, though it ended up being in vain as soon as Rengoku's over-exuberant voice expressed that he had no idea what the 'Dance of the Fire God' was— much to Tanjirou's disappointment.

The boy startled when Rengoku's haori (which had been laying over Musashi, he realized) was suddenly flung right into the Pillar's face.

"Kyojuro, for the love of Buddha, you're too loud," a tired voice said and Tanjirou looked over, eyes wide and startled as the previously sleeping woman stretched.

"I apologize!" the man said happily, pulling his haori off of his face and putting it in his lap. "Did you need more medication? Is that why you're awake?"

"Well yes," Musashi said, leaning forwards a bit as she readjusted her sitting position. Tanjirou noticed a slightly agitated scent rolling off of her. Her fingers were tapping on her leg quite rapidly as she glanced around.

"I see! Actually, before you go back to sleep, Musashi, young Mizoguchi wants to know about a Breath Style called Dance of the Fire God!" Rengoku said as he handed the woman a small container. She snorted, raising a brow.

"If you want to know about Breath Styles that Kyojuro _doesn't_ know about, then it would be better to talk to Kocho or even Oyakata-sama," she pointed out. Tanjirou bit his lip, shifting a bit.

"I already asked Miss Shinobou about it," he admitted, "And she told me to ask Rengoku."

The woman hummed, nodding as she pulled a small, round capsule that looked like a berry or something from the container.

"All Breath Styles branch from the Four Elements: Fire, Water, Wind, and Rock. The base styles," she explained, popping the capsule into her mouth and swallowing before she spoke again. "Even my own, which is the accumulation of all four, comes from them. The Void is the Void. Absolute Zero."

Rengoku nodded, arms crossed as he hummed. "Young Higashida, what color is your blade?" he asked.

"Kyojuro, I know you can be a bit bad with names, but it's Kamado," Musashi said flatly as she settled back in her seat, adjusting her haori.

The man just laughed as Tanjirou stared. The two were certainly a weird duo, but something told him that this wasn't how they always were. Musashi's restless and nervous scent, the fact that she had medication… maybe she didn't like trains?

"Um, she's right, it's Kamado, and my blade is black," he told the Flame Pillar who gazed straight ahead.

"Black! That's tough!" he said with a laugh.

"Is it tough!?" Tanjirou asked, jolting a bit.

The man nodded. "Mm! I've never seen a swordsman with a black blade become a Pillar," he admitted before he glanced over to Musashi. Tanjirou followed his gaze and startled again.

She had fallen back to sleep that fast!?

Rengoku tossed his Haori back over her with a hum. "Then again, Musashi's blades aren't colored at all! She's still a Pillar despite it," he said, thinking. "I suppose it's all about how strong the Pillar is!"

Tanjirou gazed at him, a familiar scent rolling off of the Pillar as he spoke. It was similar to that scent his mother always had when she and Father would talk.

Affection?

Did Rengoku have feelings for the other Pillar? Was that why they were together on this mission? He recalled that Musashi had been between Rengoku and another woman at the Meeting and that the two of them had been very friendly— if he heard correctly, that flashy Pillar had uttered something about him being "whipped", though Tanjirou had no idea what that meant.

He tilted his head before Rengoku's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"—I understand that you don't even know what kind of swordsmanship to master!" he said, humming as he nodded, arms crossed over his chest again. "I'll train you at my place, so be at ease now!"

A shout from Inosuke made him glance over, sweating as Zenitsu pulled the other boy from where he was hanging out the window. Rengoku's smile never faltered as he also watched.

"That's dangerous, moron!" Zenitsu yelled as he smacked Inosuke's boar mask.

"I'm gonna get out and run!" the shirtless boy yelled over the wind of the rushing train. "I'm gonna have a race to see which one of us is faster!"

"There are limits to idiocy!"

Rengoku hummed. "That's dangerous!" he agreed, "I don't know when the demon's gonna appear!"

That stopped Zenitsu and the blonde-haired boy turned to look over at them.

"Huh?" he asked as panic slowly overtook his features. "You're kidding! A demon's gonna appear on this train!?"

"It will!" Rengoku nodded.

"It will!? NOOOOO! So we're not going to a place with demons, but one's gonna show up here!?" Zenitsu cried, startling a few of the other passengers and Tanjirou glanced back at Musashi. The woman didn't wake, only shifting a bit.

"In a short period of time, more than forty people have disappeared on this train!" Rengoku explained, "We sent a number of swordsmen here, but none of them reported back! So Oyakata-sama sent Musashi and me here as Pillars!"

"Haaaah! I see!" Zenitsu said, crying. "I'm getting off!"

Tanjirou sweat before a soft voice made him and the others look forwards.

"I will… look at… your tickets…" a gaunt man dressed in some sort of black uniform said softly. He tilted his head.

"What's that?" he asked Rengoku as the Pillar held their tickets out to the man.

"The conductor is coming around to confirm your tickets and punch holes in them!" the Pillar said before he reached over, lightly nudging Musashi. "Musa! Tickets!"

"Gave it to you already…" came the tired grumble from the woman, whose eye remained closed. Her head leaned against the window of the train and Rengoku's haori covered her fully as she seemed to speak to them in her sleep.

The Flame Pillar just hummed, checking his pockets before he perked, pulling another ticket out. "Oh! I see!" He held it up to the conductor. "Sorry about that!"

The man just gave him a tired nod as he punched holes into the tickets. His eyes were sunken and dark bags were under his eyes. He looked miserable, in a word, as he moved forwards to collect the next tickets.

Rengoku stood suddenly as a strong scent hit Tanjirou's nose.

It smelt bad, evil.

A demon was here already!

"Conductor! It's dangerous, so stand down!" the Flame Pillar told the man as he stepped into the aisle. "It's an emergency, so I would prefer is you don't ask me why I have a sword on me!"

A few screams from the back of the car made Tanjirou turn and gasp as a demon seemed to suddenly appear, growling.

Rengoku's smile never faltered as he drew his sword. "Big guy! Were you hiding with your Demon Blood Techniques?" he asked, "It was hard finding you, however! If you're bearing your fangs at sinless people…"

He suddenly felt a shiver go down his spine at the intense look Rengoku had in his eyes.

The man was no longer the exuberant man that he had been talking to on the train, but the Flame Pillar he had witnessed at the Meeting. The man that was ready to kill him and Nezuko at the slightest indication— if it hadn't been for Oyakata-sama and Musashi.

"The Red Flame Sword of Rengoku will burn you down to the bone!"

The demon let out a roar and Rengoku shot forwards, removing its head in an instant.

Tanjirou's eyes widened. The Pillar had been so fast and had ended the demon so easily. He hadn't even seen him move! He knew the pillars were respected and strong, but to be that strong?

"That was awesome, Aniki!" He cried, "That was amazing swordsmanship! Make me your disciple!"

"Sure thing," Rengoku said as he walked back over, sword fixed back into place. "I'll make you into a fine swordsman!"

"Me too!" both Zenitzu and Inosuke piped up and the Flame Pillar just seemed more enthusiastic.

"I'll look after every single one of you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if Kocho can make medicine that reverts Zenitsu's limbs from being spider-like then she can create sedatives. pills did exist in the 1920s, though were a bit rarer. Still, it's not a major stretch here.
> 
> Once again, more headcanons. Since this isn't LB Musashi, she hasn't been in the Shadow Cruiser (Border? Whatever). I just feel like if someone was from an era where horses and foot travel were the norm, a train or car would be a bit... startling to them and they'd be warier.
> 
> Anywaaaays. How do y'all think this is gonna end? Haha, just joking— You know how it ends.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE LOSTBELT SPOILERS KILLED ME. WHAT THE HECK. MY POOR BABY /sobs.

For the first time in a long time, Musashi dreamt.

She had known that Tanjirou would be joining her and Kyojuro, but she hadn't expected the boy to ask about a Breath Style that Kyojuro didn't know about. Still, she was glad to fall back into sleep as the train continued into the night.

She hadn't expected herself to dream.

Nor did she ever expect herself to be back in her home dimension.

She gazed down at her hands— they were so small. She was six, it seemed. So young, so vulnerable.

She stood in front of a gravestone eyes blank as she gazed at the worn name. _Omasa Munesada._

She only vaguely remembered this place, hidden deep within a bamboo grove with other graves around it. The resting place of her mother, the first person whose life she had taken.

Omasa Munesada died in childbirth, leaving Shinmen to grieve and with a daughter he didn't want at all. Footsteps approaching made her turn, the hazy path obscured by a man as he approached. She felt her heart stop, despite the dream.

She recognized that man, how could she not when he shared the same face as her?

Shinmen Musashi.

Her own Father.

Her mother had dark hair, is what she had always been told, and a gentle face. The only thing Musashi ever got from her mother were the soft features of her face, everything else was from her father. The pale, pink-ish blonde-white hair, the sharp, blue eyes. The same devious smirk when confident and set jaw when the throughs of concentration.

And now she was staring into those eyes again.

' _It's a dream. It's a dream. That's all it is. He's gone. Your home dimension is gone— has been gone.'_

"Musashi?"

She felt her chest ache. He had never called her by her name before. It was always "girl" or "brat". He never acknowledged her as anything other than a pest. He hadn't thrown her out until she was four, but he all but abandoned her in his own Estate.

Had he hoped for a son after she was born if Omasa hadn't died? Or was it that he couldn't stand to look at the child who killed the woman he loved? Shirota was already six when she was born, so he had a son to train. Was he disappointed in the fact that she was a girl?

She didn't know, but she stepped back from the man as he slowly made his way closer, hand outstretched.

"Where have you been?" he asked and she took another step back. A clink made her look behind her. A small sword, no bigger than a wakizashi, was laying there. She knew the sword instantly.

' _This is one of my earliest swords. I stole it from a smith.'_

She grabbed it, unsheathing it and holding it in front of her. It was heavy and she couldn't use just one hand with it. She felt unbalanced, but she wasn't going to let Shinmen get closer.

Dream or not, she was going to continue to resist.

"Put the sword down, Bennosuke," the man tried again and she bristled. How would he know that name? He had ignored her until she had beat him in a duel… she was still young then, too. Nine or ten, she couldn't remember.

He wouldn't have known that name unless he asked one of the old ladies who had given her that nickname down int he village.

She didn't respond, continuing to back away. She had no love for this man. She had no love for him after everything. Not even in dreams, she never would.

When Shinmen got close enough, she launched forwards, startling the man into drawing his sword and blocking her own strike. She didn't say a thing before she broke away, striking again and again and forcing him back. She didn't stop swinging until Shinmen eventually forced her back from him.

She glared at him, backing away from the man before she turned, taking off running deeper into the grove.

A cold feeling washed over her as she ran and suddenly, her feet hit wooden floorboards instead of dirt ground. Straw sandals were replaced with carved, wooden heels.

All around her was darkness and she slowed to a halt.

"What are you doing, woman?" an aged, yet hardened voice asked and she whirled around. A man in a brown haori stood with his back facing her and she tensed.

She knew this man.

"Dreaming while you should be paying attention again?"

She opened her mouth to speak but she found herself unable too as the man glanced over his shoulder. Blood dripped down from his lips, eyes narrowed in reflection from the last time she saw him.

"You're wasting time," the man said, turning to face her fully. Stretching from his right shoulder to his left hip was a deep, gash, oozing blood. He raised a hand, extending it and lightly tapping his index finger on her forehead.

"Get back in the fight, woman," he ordered, "Or are you going to render all those years and battles useless by dying here."

He turned, haori fluttering as he started to walk into the darkness. She launched forwards, hand outstreched but grasping at nothing— yet she still chased after the man as he walked, but was never within grasp.

She had questions she had to get answered. Why her? Why him? Why was he warning her?

Finally, her fingers caught on fabric and the yanked him back.

"Yagyu!" she shouted, finally able to speak. "What do you mean? What's going on? Why is it _you_ warning me?"

The man was silent before his hand shifted. Musashi knew that movement and instantly moved to draw her swords, only she was too slow. The searing pain of a blade cutting across her throat tore through her senses.

' _Isn't that…_ Myoujingiri…? _Ah… so this is a dream…'_

She pitched forwards, blood soaking into Yagyu's haori and kimono as she closed her eyes.

"Don't give into them yet," she faintly heard. "You're the Flower of Tengen, whose blade reaches nothingness. And you've created a home for yourself here. Don't let it go without a fight."

Musashi woke with a start, staring out the window of the train car as her blood pounded in her ears She sat up slowly, reaching up and lightly pressing her hand against her throat.

That's right, it was a dream— thats all it was. But… somehow, Yagyu had been there.

Had he been there just go give her a warning? He had been warning her, right?

He had to have been warning her.

But why? And how? He was dead and she had been dreaming? Was it a subconscious message from her instincts?

She stopped, breath catching in her throat as the pounding in here ears calmed.

Silence.

She raised her head, feeling dread build in her stomach as she gazed around slowly. The entire train was asleep around her. From the strongest man to the smallest child, the entire train car was dead still.

Musashi stood, blinking as Kyojuro's haori slid off her lap. Had he tossed it at her again?

She picked it up, folding it and setting it on the seat as she gazed around again. The boy with the boar's mask was splayed across the blonde boy's lap. Tanjirou's head was leaning against Kyojuro's shoulder, the Pillar's arms crossed as his chest rose and fell slowly. A child was sitting next to her, also asleep, though she didn't recognize her.

Everyone was asleep.

Scratching noises startled the duel wielding swordswoman and her gaze drifted to the box at Tanjirou's feet. She blinked before she relaxed a bit again, leaning down and opening the box slowly.

Pale pink eyes stared up at her as she smiled a bit.

"Hello, Nezuko," she said softly, "Do you remember me?"

The girl, or rather, demon, blinked at her as she emerged from the box, standing up and growing to her normal size. She nodded, but gazed around.

"Strange isn't it," Musashi said as Nezuko moved towards Tanjirou with light steps. She grasped onto the green and black checkered fabric of his haori.

Musashi turned from the demon girl, gaze landing on the rope that was tied to the child's wrist and connecting her to Kyojuro.

That was more than suspicious.

Musashi reached over, taking the rope lightly in her hand and examining it. It looked normal at first, but there was a slight aura, one that looked very similar to _karma_ but was paler in saturation. She blinked, glancing to her own wrist. Looped around it was a rope as well, cut cleanly a few inches from her wrist. The _karma_ around it was nearly gone in comparison to the rope around Kyojuro's wrist. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes narrowed as a child ducked behind the seat. Shaking her head, she sighed, before glancing back to the rope that connected the girl and Kyojuro.

"Looks like Demon Blood Arts," she said lowly before she reached back, drawing _Myoujingiri._ A muffled humming made her glance back to Nezuko, who was holding the one that bound Tanjirou in her hand. She blinked, watching as the girl closed her eyes. Her fingers sparked and flames danced on the tips. The flames spread across the body of her brother, but instead of harming him, the only thing that was burned was the rope connecting her to the boy.

Musashi shifted, grinning.

"So that's how it is," she said, "A demon weapon to destroy a demon art." she pulled _Myoujingiri_ back fully before she swung it down, severing the rope that had bound the child to Kyojuro. Nezuko hummed happily as Musashi turned, gazing down at the suddenly awake girl who was sitting in front of Kyojuro.

Tanjirou groaned lowly as he woke slowly, opposed to Kyojuro, who was on his feet in an instant. His smile had returned to his face, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Looks like our suspect's been active since the begining," Musashi said and Kyojuro nodded, the two Pillars gazing down at the girl. Musashi's hand shot out, catching her wrist as she lunged forwards with a knife of some sort.

"Nezuko, can you wake our companions?" she asked over her shoulder as she pulled the blade from the girl. The demon perked, nodding and running off to burn the ropes from the others.

Musashi tossed the blade to Kyojuro, who caught it with ease as she let go of the girl's wrist.

"I don't know what was promised to you," she said as she stepped into the train's aisle. "But whatever it was, it was a lie. Aside from Nezuko, demons only see humans as food." She brushed her hair back before she glanced to Kyojuro. "I'm going to head to the front, I have a bad feeling about this." "We'll be here and protect the rest of the civilians in case anything happens, then," Kyojuro said, nodding. Musashi nodded in return before she reached up, tugging one of her earrings out and tossing it to the Flame Pillar. He blinked, tilting his head as he caught it.

"Give that back when I return," she said. He blinked again before he tucked it into his uniform, nodding. A promise to be safe was all it was— on both ends. It was something the two had done before.

She nodded in return before she turned, taking off down the aisle. She slid the door open, feeling her nerves calm at the rush of wind that whipped her hair back.

' _There's_ karma _around the entire train… either the demon fused with it or there's more than just one or two,'_ she thought before she swung herself up. She balanced herself easily on the roof before taking off down the length of the locomotive, swords drawn.

She hadn't been running for long before she skid to a halt, seeing a demon dressed in a suit standing on one of the cars. The number 'one' was printed in one of his eyes. Lower Moon One, then.

"Ohh, you're awake?" he asked, waving a bit. His voice was light, more than a bit drowsy sounding, and definitely sounding like someone in the throughs of euphoria. Gross. "Good morning."

"I don't think it's morning just yet," She retorted, resting _Myoujingiri_ on her shoulder. He only smiled.

"You could have just slept some more, you know," he said. She raised a brow.

"No thanks," she said and his eyes widened. "I don't like those sorts of dreams. Next time, I'll just kill Shinmen and be done with it."

"Ooh?" the demon asked, smiling still. "That's too bad… perhaps you'd like something else then…?"

She staid silent, gazing at him before she took off, rushing at the demon before she swung her sword out as she past him. The sound of blood spraying the train didn't make her look back, having lopped the demon's head off as she ran past. It didn't matter to her.

The demon had no _karma_ attached to him. That only confirmed her suspicion— the train had _karma_ and the demon had fused with it somehow.

"What a mess," she sighed as she ran up towards the front of the train. If the demon had fused with the train, that meant that the passengers inside were in trouble.

She dropped down onto the coupling that held the train together, throwing the door open and dashing in. Her swords flashed as she slashed through the flesh of the demon that was starting to consume the sleeping passengers. _Myoujingiri_ halted any regeneration while the other blades slowed it down majorly.

"Miss Musashi!"

She turned, seeing Tanjirou in the doorway of the car. "Rengoku said he's going to cover the five cars int he back by himself! Did you find the main demon?" She nodded. "It's the train," she said before she thought, "Tanjirou, I need you and your friends to deal with the remaining three cars that Kyojuro isn't able to take. I'm going to the front of the train to deal with the demon. We've got a Lower Moon on our hands." The boy nodded, adjusting his sword in his hand and she gave him a grin. "Good boy," she told him before she turned, taking off again as the boy called for his friends and sister.

She threw the door open and swung back up top, running along the roof again as crashes sounded from inside the cars behind her. No doubt the boy, his friends, and sister were already getting started.

It wasn't long until she reached the front, bringing her swords down and easily slashing the roof of the conductor's cabin open. She dropped in, eye narrowed as she faced the conductor.

"Out of my way," she said sharply.

"Wh- Who are you!?" he cried, "G-get out now! The demon's neck—! His weak-spot—!"

Musashi paid him no mind as she slashed at the hands that rushed towards her in an instant before she brought her swords up in an 'x' shape and swung down. The floor cracked before giving way for Musashi and she gazed down at it.

The demon had indeed fused with the train as the glistening, off-white of the demon's spine was seen embedded in the train. She didn't hesitate, shifting her footing and raising her blades again. Hands burst from the floor, but she slashed them to pieces as she twisted.

" _You're going to have to eventually develop a style you know, Musashi."_

" _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ is _my style, Shinobou. It's not as fancily named as yours, but it still requires a certain change in breath and lots of skill to master! Don't worry about me!"_

Musashi grinned as she felt _Myoujingiri_ tear through the spinal cord, crushing the bone in its path as she pushed the blade into a thrust that fully severed the spine.

_Niten Ichi-Ryuu, Hasso Migi._

With a scream of pain from the demon and a large cracking noise, the front half of the conductor's cabin was cut from the rest of the train. The rest of the cars shook violently as the demon's arms exploded outwards from the train— the entire locomotive seeming to be writhing in pain. She turned, putting her blades away and grabbing the conductor, knocking the knife in his hand away as she leaped up and out of the train.

She watched as the train threw itself up in the air before tilting sideways. It hit the ground with a loud crash followed by a low groan and she landed, dropping the conductor.

He scrambled to his feet, backing away from Musashi as she turned to look at him. He turned tail and ran off into the forest without a second thought. She only sighed before looking over at the train as Kyojuro burst from the cars with a loud laugh, holding an elderly woman under his arm. She shook her head, chuckling as he set the woman down. He looked around before he spotted her, his smile still unwavering as he jogged over.

"What a ride! Nice job!" he said, "Young Kamado and the others are making sure the citizens are safe! No one died!"

He tossed her her earring back and she hummed. "That's good at least, but don't let your guard down," she told him as she caught it, putting it back in as they walked back over to where Tanjirou and Nezuko were helping a few citizens out of the train.

"How are the injuries on your ends?" she asked, waving to the demon as she gave her a bright look. Both she and Tanjirou waved back before they climbed back into the train.

"Minimal! Nothing that Breathing can't stop!" he said as Musashi stretched her back, turning to go and help the three boys and demon with the others. "Oh, but your _kasa_ got crushed." he added.

"That's fine, I can get another one in town," she assured him before her hand twitched. She turned as a loud crash sounded nearby and a dust cloud was suddenly kicked up not too far from them.

Adorned with various markings on his pale skin and hair a vibrant pink, Musashi adjusted her stance next to Kyojuro, both of them had their hands on their blades.

It only took one glance for her to realize who had just arrived.

It was him.

Upper Moon Three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Musashi's earrings, from what I can tell, are shaped like the Melon Maple Tree's leaves. They're a three to five-lobed leaf whose tree species is native to Japan. It's better known as Acer crataegifolium in the science world.
> 
> Also yes, Musashi in history did have an older brother, but as I said in an earlier chapter, Musashi's history is a bit messy. They're six years apart and he is suspected to have been born in 1578, while Musashi is suspected to have been born in 1584. I was originally going to have something different for the Dream World— since we saw with Rengoku that the dreams weren't always happy ones. Nasuverse Musashi was abandoned by her father, so this take was on a world where he hadn't, but since Musashi knew and had lived with the fact she was abandoned, she knew better. The part with Yagyu was her Magic Resistance in a sense (I explained it before) acting up and basically rejecting the Demon Arts in a way (aka, I wanted to throw Yagyu in there somewhere).


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo apoc event

Musashi drew her blades as soon as she saw the numbers printed in the demon's eyes, Kyojuro following suit as the two of them gazed at the demon before them. She had already started running scenarios through her mind upon seeing him. She had no idea what powers this demon had, but she knew he was powerful, it would be difficult. On the other hand, they were two very strong, very resilient Pillars.

One fact remained, though— Kyojuro, while not majorly injured, had been fighting to protect the people on the train the entire night. Musashi was sure that fatigue was starting to set in for him.

One wrong move and he could die here.

Of course, she would be wishing too much for him to sit the battle out— his fiery passion would never allow it. The two of them would have to be careful.

"Well, well," the demon spoke, "Not one, but two opponents… I can see it from here, you're both strong." His lips curled back, showing his fangs as he spoke to them.

Adjusting her grip on her sword, Musashi chose not to respond as she bit the inside of her lip. The _karma_ that this demon had was equivalent to Tomoe Gozen's. He was strong, but there was definitely more that she was missing. All of her scenarios would only end badly if she didn't know what his Blood Arts were like— or even if the Upper Moons had Blood Arts like the Lower did. They could be entirely different.

"I have a _wonderful_ proposal to make," the demon said. So he was still talking? Demons sure did like to talk a lot. "How about the two of you become demons?"

"No chance," Kyojuro said almost instantly, his smile falling and his eyes adapting a more serious look.

"I'd rather not," Musashi agreed, lips drawn into a frown. The demon just let out a disappointed sigh, eyes narrowing a bit.

"I know your strength just by looking at the two of you," he said, "You're both Pillars, right? Your battle spirit is quite polished, so close to supreme territory."

Kyojuro pursed his lips together before he spoke again. "I am the Flame Pillar, Rengoku, Kyojuro."

"Miyamoto, Musashi," she said, not giving her Pillar title to the demon and Kyojuro gave her a sideways glance. If they didn't manage to kill him and he took off when dawn broke, then she didn't want Muzan to any more than her name.

The demon curled his lips into a sneer again. "And I am Akaza," he said, "And you both will _never_ be able to cross into supreme territory—"

Musashi had enough of listening to him, lunging forwards with her blades crossed and bringing them down on the demon. He just barely managed to avoid getting cleaved in two, though his arm suffered deep gashes as he leaped back.

"How dare you attack me while I'm still talking!" he snarled as Musashi landed. "You coward!"

"Hey, now, don't talk to me about cowardice when you demons flee from the sun like a child running from the dark," she said gaze hard. "I know full well that you're powerful, better believe I'm going to try and get some hits in before you get serious!"

She rushed forwards again, Kyojuro right behind her, and Akaza's fists met with one of her blades and Kyojuro's own. She swung her second one up, managing to make a shallow gash to his chest when the demon leaped back.

She and Kyojuro moved seamlessly as the battle began— guarding each other and attacking in rapid succession. Kyojuro would attack with his _Second Style_ and then, directly after him, Musashi would follow with her _Uke Nagashi Migi_. Akaza would retaliate with his own attacks, before being forced onto the defensive by Musashi. Kyojuro would always be in her blindspot if he needed to be, deflecting blows that Akaza aimed at her. It wasn't necessary, Musashi always knew that people targeted her right side because of it, but it was just how they had always fought. A team of three eyes.

Kyojuro's strikes were practiced, disciplined, and spoke of years of being trained under a professional before perfecting his own style. Musashi's were harder to read as she switched between all five of her blades in quick but perfected movements, her strikes always swung with the intent to kill.

Akaza was quick, though, attacking from a distance and always finding a way to just narrowly dodge fatal strikes. When he attacked from the air, Musashi and Kyojuro had no choice but to deflect or block with their own skills from the ground.

A dangerous game of back and forth that would only end once the sun rose or if one side had been killed.

Musashi shifted, leaping forwards and swinging her blades up as Kyojuro attacked from the side. Akaza ducked away from one of Musashi's blades before spinning and nailing Kyojuro in the side with a kick. The Flame Pillar was sent back as Musashi's second sword met empty air— Akaza having leaped up in preparation for another attack.

From the air, he rained down a flurry of blows that Musashi barely had time to block with her sword. A familiar feeling was attached to them, she realized as she canceled the attack when she swung her blades downwards. The swordswoman's eye narrowed as she glared at the demon, who seemed startled at the sudden loss of lightheartedness in her gaze. He landed and as soon as his foot touched the ground, Musashi had suddenly entered into a close-combat, striking zone.

"You think you're superior, then? Don't make me laugh," She said as she struck, the demon just barely able to meet her blows with his own. "You claim that you've reached Supreme Territory, yet you don't seem to realize that you will _never_ reach the Void."

With a final strike, she sent the Upper Moon flying back with two, deep gashes across his chest. Blood spattered the ground as she leaped back, sheathing her 'Earth' and 'Water' blades and replacing them with her 'Flame' and 'Wind' ones. She easily blocked a strike from the demon as she met him head-on. Kyojuro leaped over Musashi as she lowered to strike from below, the two bringing their strikes together at the same time, though they were both blocked before the demon leaped away from them again.

"Injuries?" she asked him quickly and he grunted.

"Not _bad_ , but we can't keep this up," he admitted, wiping blood from his chin.

She had to agree with him. The longer the fight dragged on the more injuries the two had sustained, but no matter how many they inflicted on Akuza he would just heal or regenerate. The two of them, on the other hand, had suffered various injuries. While none fatal, they sure as hell were slowing them down. Kyojuro's left eye had been forced shut and a gash was oozing blood from his arm. His ribs had been cracked, that was for sure. Musashi had blood dripping down from cuts above her right eye and under her eyepatch, along with numerous gashes and bruises on her arms from blocking blows. Her 'Earth' blade was cracked and her haori had been tossed aside long ago.

They wouldn't last if this went on for too much longer.

Musashi leaped forwards again after giving Kyojuro a glance that meant 'stand and wait, look for an opening' before she clashed with Akaza again. Her blades were silver flashes within blurs of green, yellow, blue, and red as she fought, matching Akaza's attacks the best she could before Kyojuro joined her again.

_Unknowing Fire._

_Uke Nagashi Hidari._

_Rising Scorching Sun._

_Tora Buri._

_Blooming Flame Undulation._

_Aisen Uchidome._

_Flame Tiger._

_Sassen._

_Purgatory._

_Amashi Uchi._

No matter what they used, it seemed to be a losing battle. No matter how many scenarios Musashi ran through as she fought, she couldn't find one that would have both of them alive and the demon dead.

She'd injure Kyojuro and everyone in the area if she used _that_ against Akaza, she knew that she couldn't tell Kyojuro to retreat or the demon might choose to focus on attacking him solely. She would have to wait until it got a bit closer to sunrise in order to use that attack.

Her brows furrowed as she watched the demon's movements again, carefully dodging, countering, and striking back as Kyojuro fought alongside of her.

But then suddenly Kyojuro's arm was forced upwards upon deflecting a blow from the demon. The action left his entire midsection exposed and Akaza's hand shot forwards, a feral glint in his eyes.

Musashi dropped to the ground, pushing off into a sprint.

_Hasso Hidari._

She had never been more grateful that her training had paid off more than at that moment.

She was able to get to them in time, ducking under Akaza's arm. She twisted her body, bringing her swords up and cleaving through it. The speed in which it all happened threw off both the Pillar and Upper Moon as blood splattered the ground and Kyojuro quickly brought his arm back down to guard his side. Musashi was there as well, silently warning the demon that in order to kill the Flame Pillar, she would have to be killed first.

In the same moment, a flash of pink and suddenly Akaza had been kicked away by Nezuko. With a muffled snarl, the pink-clad demon landed in front of Kyojuro as Musashi stood up from her crouched position.

"Thank you Nezuko," Musashi said softly as she sheathed her current blades. She reached back and drew _Myoujingiri_ and her 'Flame' blade, brandishing them as Akaza stood, shaking his head from the kick. Nezuko crouched with a growl, but startled when Musashi held a blade in front of her, stopping her from lunging forwards.

"It's almost morning," she told them and the demon girl let out a muffled huff. Musashi smiled slightly at that before she turned back to Akaza, gaze hard. "Let me deal with the rest."

Kyojuro gazed at Musashi silently for a moment before he lowered his sword. "You're going to use _that_ then?"

"Yeah, sorry for putting it off for so long. It was arrogant of me to think that we could pull it off with me being half-assed about it," she told him and he chuckled a bit, sheathing his sword.

"I'll leave it to you, then," he said before he turned, grabbing Nezuko by the waist and leaping back towards the train. Musashi only grinned. Akaza was glaring at her as he crouched in preparation to rush at her.

His pride was shattered to bits, and although he knew that dawn was quickly approaching, the fact that he couldn't kill at least one of the Pillars left a bad taste in his mouth. He needed to kill one of them. He had been so close with the Flame Pillar, but this woman…

He snarled as he rushed forwards, but she didn't move, instead she gazed at him with that mockingly confidant grin.

" _ **I'll show you the true essence of the Five Rings!"**_

The ground rumbled underfoot as the air seemed to distort around them as soon as the words left her lips. Demon and Demon Slayer alike looked up at the sudden spike in power. Brandishing her swords, Musashi grinned as a rainbow light burst forth from her and the wind picked up.

In a flash, a giant figure had appeared behind her, making all those conscious to witness it startle.

Kyojuro's lips curled upwards at the sight of the monstrous, yet protective being. The strongest, most flashy, and most terrifying illusion created was something that all of the Pillars had witnessed at least once— he had to admit he was a bit smug at being able to see it again.

With four arms and with a sword in each hand, with red eyes glowing in the quickly fading night and lips seemingly drawn into a permanent snarl, the Nio that seemed to have answered Musashi's call was a terrifying sight to behold.

" _ **Amen. I place my trust in Tenjin of the Tenman Shrine, deity of absolute freedom. Hadoukannon, use my rage to server evil!"**_ the woman chanted as she swung her blades down onto Akaza. The illusion mirrored her movements, each strike seeming to carry the same amount of power and weight of its swords as if the Nio was the one that was striking the demon instead.

Musashi shifted her footing, putting her second blade away as the figure vanished and a violet aura burst from her. She brought _Myoujingiri_ up, grasping it with both hands as her aura condensed around the blade, seeming to grow larger and larger, and reach the sky.

" _ **This one blade is my path of emptiness, the culmination of my life!"**_

She swung the Demon Slaying blade downwards, the energy leaving deep gouges in the ground and destroying part of the forest as a loud explosion rocked the area.

" _ **Ishana Daitenshou!"**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't planning on killing Kyojuro. So he didn't die. Hahahahahaha.
> 
> Also, I don't think I put it in the last chapter bur Musashi's 12 "breaths" are going to be based on the actual 12 Niten Ichi-Ryuu Tachi Seiho techniques. Musashi will be using the Kodachi and Nito Seiho forms as well, but Tachi Seiho will be used by name and described— if I continue doing it at all. It all depends. The main issue is that fiding written descriptions of the other forms and techniques of Miyamoto's teachings is pretty hard.
> 
> Also one of Akaza's attacks is called "Void Style" in the translation I'm reading it in— I literally do not know what it is in other translations as it is not listed on the wiki for some reason? Anyways, in my line of thought, Musashi would be able to tell if an attack was attempting to reach or had reached Zero or the Void. Did Akaza reach the point of Zero? I have no idea. Was Musashi taunting him? yes.
> 
> Anyways, I hope this rendition of the Akaza fight was to your liking, I know a lot of people do like Akaza and unfortunately his character and backstory will go unknown in this alternative universe.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE GETTING A RENGOKU STORY AFTER KIMETSU FINISHES AND IM EXCITED!

When the dust from the explosion cleared, Musashi stood tall as the morning light peaked over the horizon. Blood and sweat dripped down her brow as she panted, watching as the last of the Upper Moon demon Akaza crumbled to dust in the light. She gazed up at the sky when the last of him crumbled away, letting the first rays of sunlight warm her face, and then suddenly she was falling backward.

Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground and a hysterical, yet delighted laugh came from the Flame Pillar as he swung her around.

"That's my partner!" he cried, as he set her down. Musashi laughed a bit, steadying her footing. She could feel her energy had hit zero and the black tendrils of exhaustion were already clouding her vision.

"If the bastard survived I think I'd give up and go home," she told him, eye half-closed as she laughed half-heartedly. The joke was a bit strained and he snorted, chuckling softly before blinking when he felt hands on his face.

"That eye of yours is gonna be messed up," she told him and he barked out another laugh, lightly poking her cheek in return as her hands fell back to her sides.

"Your injuries aren't much better!"

"Oh please, mine are hardly as severe as yours," she huffed before she smiled, gazing up at the lightening sky.

"We really did take down one of Muzan's Upper Moons, huh?" She asked as a gentle breeze ruffled her hair.

Kyojuro gazed at her expression, silent. He felt something click in his mind before he reached over, grasping her shoulders and turning her to face him. She blinked, a bit startled, before he crashed his lips into the swordswoman's own.

He heard her squeak against his lips as her eye widened and he pulled away, a breathless grin on his face as he gazed at her. Her cheeks had flushed bright red as she gazed back and he knew he had a short window of time before she completely shut down from exhaustion.

"Marry me, Musashi!" He blurted and she just stared. He felt a smug sort of satisfaction when he noticed her blush getting darker and her eye growing wider.

Then her eye rolled back as she passed out, unable to withstand the exhaustion any longer.

Well, maybe he could have waited until later, but he couldn't help it.

Watching her fight, knowing he had his back, and then seeing her come out victorious in the end? That look when she gazed at the sunrise?

Ahh, but maybe he should've just started with courting...

No matter, he decided as he picked her up and settled her on his back. His injuries protested, but he ignored them as Tanjirou ran up to them, holding Musashi's haori in his arms and Nezuko's box— with the demon inside, hopefully— on his back.

"Is Miss Musashi alright? Ah! You're both really injured!" the boy yelped, taking note of both of the Pillars' many injuries. Dark spatters of blood had stained and soaked into Kyojuro's haori and more was still drying slowly on his face. His left eye had been injured and he wasn't sure if it would ever be fully functional again. Musashi wasn't much better, dried blood smeared on her face and sticking her bangs to her forehead.

"No worries, Kamado, my boy! She's just exhausted!" He assured the young boy with a smile. "This happens quite often when she unleashes that final strike of hers! At least Shinazugawa wasn't the one here! She refused to let her exhaustion get to her and when they got back, Kocho said Musashi didn't wake back for at least a month! At least this time it'll only be a few days!"

He just laughed at Tanjirou's startled face as he slowly walked back to the other citizens. The children who had been working with the demon and the conductor were huddled together while the rest of the citizens who were conscious were dazed and in shock.

"The _Kakushi_ will be here soon," he told him with a hum, "They'll be able to deal with everything else. In the meantime, we should head back! Preferably to Kocho's!"

"I- Isn't that far away?"

The Flame Pillar just waved him off. "Worry not, Kamado, my boy! Your Aniki'll be fine! How is the little demon? Did she make it to her box in time?" he asked instead and the boy nodded.

"Oh, yes!" he said and he hummed.

"That's good! I'll have to give her my thanks!" he told him as Tanjirou's friends ran over— Hashibira and Agatsuma, if he remembered what Kocho told him. He didn't exactly remember an Agatsuma in the ranks, but he must have been one of the new slayers— perhaps he had forgotten a name when he had heard from Oyakata-sama last time?

"Has everyone been rescued from the train?" he asked the boys, who nodded and he grinned in response. "Good! Then let's head back!"

The three boys cheered softly, falling behind him as he shifted Musashi, starting back towards the Butterfly Estate at a quick pace. Their crows circled above, cawing about a job well done and telling them to head back to the Butterfly Estate to check injuries and await further orders.

The Flame Pillar only smiled as he adjusted Musashi again, glancing at her sleeping face out of the corner of his eyes.

He knew deep down that it was a miracle that they managed to survive the attack on the train. It was even more of a miracle that they managed to fend off and kill the Upper Moon Demon Akaza.

Musashi was powerful, that was a fact that he had always known.

She was passionate and had a strong will, and though she had odd quirks and habits that he was sure she had adapted from never being in one place very long, she was a good person at her core. She was easily flattered and quick to state that any money she had always went to food rather than other possessions.

His expression softened as they walked towards the Butterfly Estate.

He wasn't sure when it was, but he was certain that he had fallen in love with Musashi a long time ago.

It was only when he saw her smiling up at the sky just moments ago when he realized it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter, but it's just the aftermath of the Train Arc. I'm very bad at romance, so I hope that in the following chapters this works out. This is sorta a writing exercise for me in a way. I hope that's okay.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I forgot that this was supposed to go up yesterday

The arrival of Kyojuro and Musashi, along with the boys, at the Butterfly Estate caused quite the stir. Kocho had instantly ordered that Aoi and the girls check over Tanjirou, Hashibara, and Agatsuma (Inosuke and Zenitsu were their first names, he learned, and he had forgotten that Zenitsu was one of the boys who passed with the others in the last Final Selection) while she dragged Kyojuro and the unconscious Musashi away to check on them.

Musashi's injuries had been less severe than his, though Kocho estimated that she'd be asleep for a while. She had suffered a few cracked bones in her arm when she blocked a punch that came from the side, but aside from that most of her injuries were bruises and small cuts and gashes. Kyojuro, on the other hand, had sustained much more dangerous injuries. His ribs had certainly been cracked, one had been broken, and he also had smaller gashes and bruises. But Kocho admitted that she couldn't do anything for his left eye. It had to be removed.

To say that he had been calm about it would have been a lie— he _had_ been upset. It was natural, but then he calmed when he remembered that he wouldn't need to retire from being a Pillar. Just adjust how he fought. Musashi had very little trouble fighting with one eye, he could learn.

Kocho had seemed satisfied with his conclusion before she went back to tending to the gashes he had sustained.

The process to remove his eye would be a while later— when Kocho had everything ready, but he could wait. The injury had been cleaned up, it just wasn't very smart to leave the eye as it was.

Eventually, the conversation shifted to Musashi, who was laying in the bed next to him after Aoi and the girl's brought her back from cleaning the blood off of her face. Her hair had been washed clean of blood as well and left down, and of course, Kocho had asked him about why he was staring at the other woman with, in her words, a stupid look on his face.

"You asked her to marry you after you finished off Akaza?" Kocho asked, frowning as she stared at him like he had grown an extra head. He nodded, humming with a smile.

"Mhm! I think she took it well!"

"She passed out before responding, so I don't think that counts," Kocho pointed out with a sigh, shaking her head. "Honestly, you're hopeless."

He just laughed a bit before his gaze softened and he looked down at his bandaged hands. "Maybe," he said, "But! To be fair, I feel like the more observant Pillars already knew!"

"You mean myself and… just me," she said flatly. "Maybe Himejima?"

Kyojuro tilted his head, humming. "Yeah, I guess so! Maybe Tengen?"

"I think he'd be more focused on Musashi," Kocho responded flatly before she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "When she wakes you, you'll have to tell her what you meant by asking her to marry you, you know," she told him. Kyojuro tilted his head, blinking.

"But I meant what I said!"

She gave him a look before sighing. "That may be so, but!" she started, flicking his forehead. "You can't just start a relationship that way if you really do care about Musashi! She might not be ready to get married, yet, remember? She told us both that she doesn't think she'd be a good wife at all. You'll have to ease her into that prospect— that is, if she recuperates your feelings at all."

The Flame Pillar listened silently while the smaller woman spoke, putting his chin in his hand as he thought. "Hmm, I suppose you're right!" he said with a nod. "Then I'll just have to talk to her when she wakes up!"

Kocho hummed a bit but stood. "That's right," she told him with a smile. "But for now, you need rest."

He huffed a bit but settled back in agreement. He knew the Insect Pillar was right, after all. The only reason he had been awake thus far was because he knew he had to carry Musashi back to the Butterfly Estate. He turned, gazing at the sleeping woman as Kocho's footsteps faded away in the hall.

Now he just had to figure out how he was going to word his feelings.

(x)

Musashi slept like the dead over the following days. Kyojuro wasn't that worried, though, he knew it was bound to happen.

What he hadn't expected, however, was for not only Senjuro but his father to burst into the Butterfly Estate. Senjuro was frantic and literally leaping at him when the other two Rengokus found the eldest son sitting on the _engawa_ watching Tanjirou, Inosuke, and Zenitsu train. His father stopped short of the two brothers, face still stony, but relief present in his eyes. It was nice to finally see him worried for once.

Word about the fight against Akaza had gone around fast and by the fifth day, Kyojuro had been visited by almost all of the Pillars that had been in the nearby area. Kanroji, Iguro, Tomioka, and Kocho of course (she didn't have a choice), not to mention Oyakata-sama had dropped by the Estate himself to congratulate Kyojuro on a job well done. Uzui and Himejima had both sent crows, and Muichirou most likely had forgotten as soon as he had heard. Shinazugawa never sent word, but that was just how he was. There was a decision that there would not be a sudden Pillar meeting, as they all were in the middle of various things— not to mention that Kocho didn't want either of her patients moving that much as of yet.

The Master had later instructed him via crow to rest for the next few weeks as well and assured him that he could keep his Pillar Status. Until he got used to fighting with only one eye like Musashi was, Oyakata-sama suggested that he stick with the Dimension Hopping woman for the time being. Kyojuro had agreed with a smile before his attention was drawn back to Tanjirou trying to help Senjuro with some of his swordsmanship.

He was quite happy that the boy got along well with his brother, who hadn't left the Butterfly Estate out of worry. Kocho told him that his father had been lurking about inside for a while, stumbling across Nezuko in a sunlight-safe room watching a fishbowl. Apparently that's where the Elder Rengoku was still, watching fish swim with a demon.

It was almost comical if he thought about it, but he chose not to do so for _too_ long.

By the seventh day, Kocho had told him that most of his wounds were healed, though his ribs would be tender still. His left eye, having since been removed, would still have to have more time to heal, but in the meantime, the Flame Pillar found himself helping Tanjirou hand his friends with their recovery training. He was still unsure about the boy's unique way of breathing— sure, he had Breath of Water down-pat, save Tomioka's signature _Lull,_ but the boy also wanted to work on his Dance of the Fire God.

It certainly was interesting, though he had no idea how to help him aside from teaching him Flame Breathing. Senjuro was happily going along with what the other boy was doing, his younger brother already knew the basics to Breath of Flames, and Kyojuro wondered if Senjuro was another special case like Musashi.

Her blades never changed color, instead they channeled her own raw, almost Servant-like (he still couldn't fully grasp the idea of people from the past coming back to fight battles, but he supposed it wasn't the weirdest thing he had heard) energy into flames that didn't burn when touched. Musashi had simply shrugged when she had been asked about it.

Speaking of, Kyojuro was certain that Musashi would have fun training Inosuke— since the boy also used two swords when he fought. He was certain that she could help the wild boy refine some of his abilities to become even more deadly! That would be interesting!

Zenitsu was another thing entirely, though. He wasn't sure where to start with the boy, as he hadn't studied Breath of Lightning before and the boy only had one Style from what he knew. The main issue would be getting him to get over his fear of demons. Yes, demons were terrifying in certain aspects, and many demon slayers did fear them, but it was important to not let that fear control one's self!

He nodded to himself as he sat on the _engawa_ again, watching the boys train.

"It's weird to nod to yourself, you know," a voice said from behind him and he startled, quickly turning and he lit up. Musashi stood there, her arms crossed and her eyepatch in place. Her hair was still loose and, like him, she dressed in a simple, white robe instead of Kocho's usual hospital garments.

"Musashi!"

"Good morning to you too," she hummed, sitting down next to him. "Kocho said you lost your eye?"

He nodded, shifting a bit closer to her as he did. "Yep! Oyakata-sama said that he wants me teaming up with you for a while before I can go on solo missions again."

"Now we're a team of two eyes instead of three," she hummed, "Well, technically, we're still three, by my right eye is only good for sensing if something ha _s_ been cursed or not and for tactics." She leaned back on her hands, watching the four boys. "Kocho says you're training them?"

"For a bit," he said, nodding. "They're going to be fantastic slayers if I can do anything about it!"

"Just don't torment them, I've seen how you trained others," she snorted and he barked out a laugh. The woman smiled a bit, lightly nudging his shoulder. "That Kamado boy, though, he'll have you beat one day, I bet."

"I'd like to see that!"

Both Pillars started to laugh again, leaning against one another. It took a moment before the two calmed, watching as Inosuke and Zenitsu wrestled over something or another while Tanjirou and Senjuro watched with looks somewhere between exasperation, amusement, and helplessness. Musashi sighed softly, eye closing as she leaned against his side. The two were silent for a while, simply relaxing in each other's presence. The bewilderment that they had both gotten out of there alive was still lingering,

"I'm not going to marry you, Kyojuro," she said softly, making him tense up a bit. "Not yet, at least."

He blinked, glancing down at her. "'Yet'? That means—"

She nodded, humming as she glanced up at him. "Yet," she reaffirmed, settling closer to him. "Despite how long I've been here, I'm still unsure about if I will _stay_ here." She sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "And besides, I told you and Shinobu before, I'd be an awful wife."

He hummed, feeling warmth flood his body. She returned his affection, and she was willing to— one day, provided she was still here— be his wife. He was happy, so happy that he wanted to shout it from the rooftop of the Butterfly Estate, but he refrained.

"That's alright! I can wait!" He assured her, leaning down and resting his head on hers. She hummed, closing her eye.

"Just so you know, I saw your old man trying to teach Nezuko how to play cards in a dark room," she added suddenly and he snorted, biting back a grin.

"Oh?"

She nodded. "Honestly, I didn't think he'd even be here. Shinobu said he's been here, though, so about time I say."

Kyojuro laughed at that, shaking his head. "I'll be honest, I didn't expect him to be here either..." he paused, silent for a moment. "Musashi, your blades didn't change color, right?"

"Nope," she hummed, "Pissed Haganezuka off."

"I remember the shouting match!" He laughed before he reached over, brushing his fingers over hers. "Senjuro's sword didn't change color either…"

"You want me to train him?" She asked after a moment and he nodded slowly. She hummed before she nodded. "Alright."

Kyojuro brightened, lifting his head and looking down at the woman. "Really?" he asked, his hand grasping hers and squeezing it tightly. Her cheeks darkened and she coughed, hiding her face a bit as she looked away.

He felt his heart clench.

Musashi, he knew, was easily flustered outside of battle and outside of friendly jests.

He leaned closer to her with a grin. "You'll do it?"

"Of course," she huffed, cheeks still pink as she lightly pushed him. "But only if Senjuro wants it too."

He settled back, nodding happily at that. "Yes!" he hummed, still holding her hand in his. "I'll ask tomorrow!"

"Sure thing, Kyo," she said, glancing back to Tanjirou and his friends as the three boys attempted to explain something to Senjuro. Kyojuro smiled a bit, glancing down at Musashi's hand in his.

Her skin and hands were very soft for a trained swordswoman, but tiny, pale scars showed experience and hard work. Her hands were small compared to his, fingers long and slender, and he wondered what kind of beauty she would have been if her father hadn't thrown her out. It wasn't that she _wasn't_ beautiful as she was— she was breathtaking, especially in the heat of battle— but he wondered if her attitude would have been prim and proper, or if she would have still been a strong-willed fighter.

Her comments about not being a good wife were lost on him. He hardly cared about it. He knew that Musashi would never be one to perform traditional duties, and if she was still nervous about suddenly vanishing, she most likely wouldn't be into the idea of children.

But he wanted to believe that she was here, with him, to stay. That whatever higher power that brought her had decided that this was where she belonged.

He glanced at the woman's face again, watching as her eye crinkled a bit as she smiled, watching as Zenitsu and Inosuke got into another brawl.

Kyojuro knew that the future was unpredictable, but he just hoped that it would be in his favor, if only for a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then very little romance will ever be seen again because I'm very bad at this. Kidding, but only sorta. Romance, in my experience, is sorta... closer friendship? With lots of love, awww. Anyways, next chapter we get some fun family interaction.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got animal crossing and I've been playing it instead of fate. Now I gotta zoom to keep on top of the event. Farming for days. Also my sibling and their fiancee's birthdays were yesterday, so I held off on posting.

"Close, but you'll have to try again!"

Musashi's movements were confident and precise as she adjusted the two practice _bokken_ that Kocho had given her. Kyojuro was still banned from training aside from correcting from the sidelines, which meant that if the boys wanted to be trained, they'd have to vie for Musashi's attention.

Of course, the only way to gain Musashi's favor seemed to be her method of 'whoever hits me first or impresses me enough goes first'. Which was exactly what was going on.

Musashi easily ducked out of the way of Inosuke's wild swings before she blocked Zenitsu and Tanjirou. Senjuro, though rusty with his swordsmanship, had managed to come closer this time than the others— but she wasn't willing to bend just yet.

All four of the boys had descended on her when she was walking around, but she had simply dodged and avoided them until Kyojuro happily tossed her the _bokken_ she had been using the previous days. The Void Pillar dropped to the ground to avoid Senjuro's attack before she rolled, causing Inosuke and Tanjirou to collide. Standing, she turned, taking off again and leaving the four to scramble after her.

She leaped over Naho, Sumi, and Kiyo, making them squeal and giggle as she waved. The three waved back, but by then, she had already vanished around the corner. Moving quickly, she dodged a strike from above from Tanjirou, grinning as she spun and blocked a strike at her blind spot from Inosuke and a second one at her back from Zenitsu. Tanjirou and Senjuro attacked next, but she broke from the blocks that the two other boys had forced her into. She leaped up, avoiding strikes from below from the two before she quickly dodged a _bokken_ that had been javelin-thrown at her.

She landed in a roll, crouching and glancing around before she brought her swords up to block a strike from above. Red and yellow entered her view— but it wasn't Senjuro.

"All I have to do is land a single strike, correct?"

"To think that the old man would join in on the boys' fun," Musashi said, bracing against Shinjuro's _bokken_ that bore down against her own. She grit her teeth before she pushed up, breaking away from the strike and leaping back. She blocked another attack from Inosuke, who seemed even more fired up at the idea of a new, fifth person appearing to steal his chances away from fighting a strong opponent. Senjuro quickly followed up with his own attack, also seeming riled up at the idea of loosing to his father.

Musashi dodged out of the way, her grin never faltering as she kicked the boy's legs out from under him before turning and blocking a _First Style_ strike from Tanjirou that was aimed at her blindspot.

"Oh my, things are quite lively here," Kocho hummed as she walked past, making Musashi glance over as she dodged Zenitsu. "I might have Kanao and Aoi join you all."

"Please, don't," Musashi huffed as she parried a strike from Shinjuro. "Kyojuro's already on the verge of jumping in and I _will_ kill you, Shinobou, if you have your girls turn this into an eight on one fight."

The Insect Pillar just laughed as she left the garden. The Void Pillar leaped up, avoiding a strike from below from one of the boys before she struck Shinjuro's sword down with one of hers. She blocked Senjuro with her other, letting out an annoyed huff.

"Old man, why are you even in this too? Aren't you retired?" she asked as she leaped away, panting a bit. The former Flame Pillar just yawned as he stood back, watching as the four boys attacked Musashi again.

"I was bored," he said after a moment.

"You're an asshole is what you are!'

"Oh wow! Looking lively!" Kyojuro called from the _engawa_ as he walked out, sitting down. Musashi grunted, parrying a strike from Zenitsu before she twisted her body to avoid Inosuke.

Shinjuro struck at that moment, using _First Style_ to make his strike stronger against her own. She grimaced, but dove to the side after a moment and rolled back to her feet. Musashi blocked Inosuke again, keeping tabs on the four others as she pressed back against him. She adjusted her footing, ducking down in time for Tanjirou to accidentally hit Inosuke instead of her before she sent both boys flying back into Zenitsu. Senjuro came at her with his father, the elder Rengoku watching carefully as she deflected the boy's blows before he struck fast. The boys seemed awed at how fast Musashi and Shinjuro fought, though without fail, the swordswoman was still able to shake the man off with what looked to be relative ease.

"Looks like age and drink have gotten to ya, old man," she said as she disarmed him. Shinjuro only raised an eyebrow before Senjuro leaped over his father, bringing his sword down. She slashed upwards with one of her _bokken_ and clashed with Senjuro's before she brought her other one down on it. There was a sharp cracking noise before the boy's training sword splintered.

It was in that moment when a fist came flying at Musashi's face, and though she barely dodged, Musashi had decided who the first to train was for the day.

She dropped her _bokken,_ reaching up and grasping the youngest Rengoku's wrist and flipped him over.

"Senjuro's first!" she announced, making the boy gasp from where he had hit the ground. Zenitsu groaned as Tanjirou sighed, rubbing his neck. Inosuke growled, but the three others knew better than to argue with the woman's judgment. Shinjuro just rested his own _bokken_ on his shoulder as Tanjirou handed Senjuro his.

The three boys and former Flame Pillar moved out of the way, Inosuke and Zenitsu running off to do who knows what, but Tanjirou sat down next to Kyojuro. Shinjuro moved to the _engawa_ but didn't sit, instead, leaning up against one of the support beams to watch.

Clambering to his feet, Senjuro brushed his hakama off before he held the _bokken_ out in front of him.

"We'll pick up where we left off last time," Musashi said, "You've been practicing your Full Focus Breaths and know the basics of Flame Breathing, but as we found out, you're not as suited for it as your old man and Kyojuro are."

The boy nodded and she continued. "Last time we worked with helping you develop a style that would work best with Flame Breathing's basics, much like Kanroji's Love Breathing and my own Flame Void Style. But unlike the two of us, your physiology is relatively normal, but you have the unique ability to adapt. You're no protege with the sword, but you're much more observant than you give yourself credit for." She raised her _bokken,_ grinning. "We'll be sparring again today. Come at me with anything and everything you have."

"R-right!" the boy said before launching forwards.

(x)

The next few weeks proceeded in the same fashion as the prior two when it came to training with Musashi. She was observant, taking note of how the boys moved, how they breathed, and then she used her own strategy to further the boys along.

Senjuro's confidence with a sword had built up to the point where he was sure that he finally had the skills to change the color of his sword if he so wished to. Zenitsu, while still deathly afraid of demons, was working on improving his speed even more, along with formulating another style— though that was proving to be difficult.

Inosuke was becoming proficient in learning _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ but Musashi had learned that the boy learned by watching rather than being instructed— if he wanted training, he would sit and watch the others. It turned out that he just liked to fight Musashi when the others were too, instead of aiming for a slot to get trained.

Tanjirou was another matter. While she worked with him on his form, it was Kyojuro who was instructing him for the most part. He had a better grasp on _Dance of the Fire God_ than she did, even if neither he nor the former Flame Pillar knew what the hell it was.

And then when it came time for Kyojuro's own recovery training, that's when true chaos broke loose.

After Kocho and the other girls got him up to tip-top shape, Kyojuro had instantly challenged Musashi to a fight.

Shinjuro had, for the first time in a long time, laughed outright when the two had finished their fight.

The intensity of the spar had been enough to land both of them back in Kocho's care, much to the Insect Pillar's irritation. A patch of scorched earth remained in the Estate's garden from the aftermath as well. Aoi nearly killed the two herself.

The boys had certainly gotten stronger when it was time for the Flame Pillar and Void Pillar to leave, Kyojuro asking his father to lay off the sake and assuring him and Senjuro he'd be back before they knew it. Musashi had been glad that the past month and a half had allowed the family to fix and adjust their relationship. At least a bit, that was.

Shinjuro was still a heavy drinker, that was probably not going to change unless he dropped alcohol entirely, and he certainly wasn't a warm and welcoming man, but he had stopped striking Senjuro. Killing an Upper Moon tended to change people's outlook, she supposed as she and Kyojuro headed towards their destination.

A number of disappearances had been noted of in a village to the east and it was the perfect back-on-your-feet kind of job for Kyojuro. He was still getting used to not having a left eye, but if Musashi learned by being thrown headfirst into life or death battles when she first lost hers then what better way to learn, right?

"Senjuro's gettin' pretty powerful, hm?" Musashi asked as they walked, her arms behind her head. She had ditched her _haori_ in favor of another variant of her own attire since the weather was warming up. Kyojuro hummed and nodded, a proud smile on his face. The Flame Pillar donned a simple, black eyepatch in contrast to her _kiku gata_ shaped one.

They certainly made an interesting pair with their missing (or in Musashi's case, damaged) eyes.

"Yep! All thanks to you!" Kyojuro said and she chuckled.

"Maybe, I think he's always had it in him, though," she said, stretching. "Good thing that Kamado Kid's always willing to help everyone."

Kyojuro laughed, nodding with his arms crossed across his stomach. "You're right! He'll make a fine Demon Slayer!"

"Think he'll overtake the rest of us one day?"

"Most certainly!"

Musashi chuckled, dropping her arms back to her side as the two of them continued on. The past month and a half had been nice, but she knew better than to dwell on it for too long. Duty always calls, after all.

She blinked, feeling rough fingers brush against hers. She shifted her hand, intertwining her fingers with Kyojuro's as she smiled, a soft blush settled on her cheeks.

"Fight together, die together," she murmured suddenly, making Kyojuro look over with his head tilted.

"Hm?"

She startled, laughing a bit. "Sorry, it's just something that came to me suddenly. 'Fight together, die together', is all that I said."

He blinked at that before he laughed a bit.

"I like that!" he declared, squeezing her hand. "Fight together, die together!"

He laughed again, head thrown back as they walked. She smiled before laughing a bit herself, shaking her head.

Fight Together, Die Together.

She could live with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of fluff at the end, plus some training with the boys and some fun with Shinjuro. I wanted to expand on the Kyojuro vs Musashi recovery fight a bit more, but I think that might be in a bonus chapter instead.
> 
> Once again, we are hurtling towards each arc with long gaps between. I find it hard to fill these gaps with more missions, especially when the OG timeline follows Tanjirou but Musashi isn't there. Time skips and all that, but there will be a few chapters before the Pillar Training arc. Unfortunately, Musashi will not be in the Red Light District Arc nor will she be in the Smith Village arc. In my personal opinion, even though Kyojuro's death was a very important character-building moment for Tanjirou, the Smith Village had a lot more (between Muichirou and Genya joining the Friends Crew, and Mitsuri and Tokito's introduction to the Marks) within it that relies heavily on the fact that it was that exact number of people there. The Red Light arc is being skipped because Musashi has a different job she has to deal with— which will be seen in a few chapters.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in the process of moving and everything's been a bit hectic as of late. I don't know if I'm ever going to be going back to work because of my health and I might have more health problems down the road but I'm waiting to get bloodwork done.

The days flew by after the death of Upper Moon Akaza and before anyone knew it, two months had passed. Shinjuro had slowly cleaned himself up, though he and Musashi still bickered about pointless things. Senjuro hadn't joined the slayers, but he had pulled his sword back out and it had in fact changed the same deep red that Kyojuro's and Shinjuro's blades had become. The said boy had also created a branch off from the Breath of Flames— Breath of Embers— which used the same basic forms as it's origin but relied on being unthreatening.

It was still Breath of Flames, so to speak, but Musashi felt like it deserved its own name. Senjuro humored her.

Kyojuro, on the other hand, was becoming proficient in fighting with just one eye— learning that in order to make sure it wasn't a handicap he had to always expect an attack from the left side. Attacking blindspots would always be something that enemies would do, and Kyojuro learned the hard way when Musashi sent him to eat dirt when they sparred between missions. During those times as well, Musashi worked on perfecting the style she had been working on for two years. Ever since she started watching the Pillars as they fought and trained together, she archived and stored every movement they made in her memory.

How their breathing worked, how their movements were. The patterns and rhythms they had. How fluid or tense their bodies were before striking. In particular, she observed Tomioka, Shinazugawa, Himejima, and Kyojuro.

The Void was an accumulation of all things condensed into _Zero_ , which meant elements as well. As the four elements that made up the world, it was crucial to observe and replicate Water, Rock, Wind, and Flame breathing. Through that observation, she had created a strange, new style that worked best with _Niten Ichi-Ryuu—_ Element Void. The four only had two or three styles each, but it would be enough to throw anyone who was familiar with Breaths off. She had already fine-tuned Flame Void while working with Kyojuro, allowing the Flame Pillar to slowly learn and replicate it as well.

Himejima and Earth Void had been polished not too long after, but Himejima had ended up not being able to replicate it fully because of the difference in Musashi's sword and his flail and axe combination.

She had yet to fully tune Water Void and Wind Void, but she would have to work with Tomioka and— as much as she dreaded— Shinazugawa on it later.

Of course, barring those techniques she would have to fine-tune, there had been something else that had been increasingly bugging her.

It hadn't suddenly started bothering her but rather it had finally reached the point where she couldn't ignore it.

Her footsteps were light despite her heeled shoes as Musashi walked through the Estate. _Myoujingiri_ was held firmly in her hand as she followed one of the Ubuyashiki children to where their father was resting. It had taken a lot of thinking and reviewing all that old man Muramasa had told her along with slowly gathering information about the Master of the Demon Corps.

A curse had been put on him and his bloodline. The appearance of the scar that looked like rotting flesh, the speed of which it consumed the man, all of that was because of the curse.

And if _Myoujingiri_ could cut through anything supernatural, then there could be a chance that it could sever the curse.

The child stopped outside the _shoji_ doors, lightly knocking on them. "Oyakata-sama, the Void Pillar would like to request an audience with you."

There was a pause before the Master spoke. "Oh? Then please," he said, "Allow her in."

The child nodded before they opened the doors slowly. They stepped to the side for Musashi, bowing a bit and she stepped into the room. She bowed briefly, her other blades clinking softly when she raised and the _shoji_ closed behind her.

Ubuyashiki was sitting on the _engawa_ that overlooked the garden that was used for Pillar Meetings, his wife, Amane, was sitting next to him and his eldest twins were playing in the garden. The scarring had gotten worse, nearly halfway down his face now and the scent of rot was starting to settle in. She ignored it.

"Good morning, Musashi," Ubuyashiki said pleasantly, "What brings you here today?"

"It's about _Myoujingiri,"_ she said, cutting right to the chase. "And the curse put on you and your bloodline."

There was a moment of silence between the two, Amane looking at her husband before Ubuyashiki smiled slightly.

"So that's what you were doing in the Corps Archive," he said and she nodded.

"Yes, Oyakata-sama," she confirmed, "And I'm sorry I took so long to reach this conclusion. I will admit, it took some prodding at Shinobou, Mitsuri, and Kyojuro before getting a straight answer on your health, but when I realized it was a curse, I wondered if _Myoujingiri_ could do anything about it. But then there was the idea that I could end up killing you," she added with a sigh, "So I had to do more research. The nature of the curse, the roots and origins, and how deep it went. With Lady Amane at your side and the slow progress the priests have made in breaking down the curse... I realized that it wasn't _karma_ that I sensed from you when we first met, but the curse."

She bowed deeply as she continued. "I don't know the extent of which severing the curse would heal you— the curse could reverse fully, or just keep you from dying. I don't know if your sight will recover or if your lungs will heal, but I know that if the curse is severed then you most likely can live past thirty, you can continue fighting alongside of the Demon Slayers."

Amane and Ubuyashiki shared a look as she spoke, a silent conversation going between them despite the Master's lack of sight.

"So please," Musashi said, eyes trained onto the floorboards. "Please, Oyakata-sama, let me try and break this curse on you and your son."

There was silence before Ubuyashiki spoke. "Raise your head, Musashi," he said softly and she did as told, standing up slowly and gazing at the blind man. "Are you certain that you want to do this?"

She nodded, frowning. "Of course!" she said before she quieted, reaching back and brushing her fingers against the ornament in her hair. "I don't want to… overstep my position by saying this, but ever since I've arrived here, you have been the closest thing to a father figure I've ever had. My own father abandoned me when my mother passed away." Her hand fell back to her side and her eye gained a determined glint. "The Demon Slayers have become more of a family to me than anything else. I would be honored if you would let me try and save you and your son."

There was another beat of silence before Ubuyashiki smiled, nodding and Musashi let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing a bit.

"Thank you, Oyakata-sama," she said softly before she gripped _Myoujingiri_ tightly, the look of determination back as she drew the blade. "Ah. Maybe we should go into the garden? I'd hate to wreck the Estate again!"

That made the Master laugh as he stood slowly with his wife, Amane taking a hold of his hand and slowly leading him and Musashi out to the garden. She led them to a more secluded and open spot, glancing back at Musashi with a questioning look.

"This will work, thank you, Amane-sama," she said before she reached up, pulling her eyepatch off. "Amane-sama, you might want to step behind me."

The white-haired woman pursed her lips but when Ubuyashiki squeezed her hand she let go, moving behind the swordswoman. Musashi adjusted her grip on the blade, closing her good eye and taking a breath. She slowed her breathing, her _**Heavenly Eye**_ searching before a glimmer of sickly violet caught her eye. It was embedded deeply into the core of the Master, but not as deep as _karma_ normally was.

' _Focus… focus!'_

She took another deep breath, shifting her footing and wrapping her other hand around _Myoujingiri's_ hilt. She brought it back behind her, focusing on the curse's hold on Ubuyashiki.

' _Focus… Myoujingiri can cut through anything… focus… focus…!'_

She swung the blade, feeling the energy that had been building up in _Myoujingiri_ release. She held her breath before a snap seemed to ring out through the garden.

The curse had been severed.

She opened her good eye and quickly shut her other one, sheathing _Myoujingiri_ and moving to Ubuyashiki's side with Amane. The man had collapsed, panting heavily as his hands grasped at the front of his kimono.

"Are you alright, Oyakata-sama?" Musashi asked softly as his breathing calmed. He nodded slowly, eyes blinking and she got a good look at him.

Some color had started to return to his pale, sightless eyes, and the sickly, purple scarring had started to pale and recede. If that's what removing the curse was doing, then her first theory about the curse being removed would reverse its effects could be right.

"I am," he said, "Though a bit startled. There's a lightness to my chest that I don't remember having."

"That's good, I think!" Musashi said before a sharp pain in her side made her drop her hand from where it was resting on Ubuyashiki's shoulder. She covered her mouth before she coughed blood, startling Amane. "Musashi—!?"

"I'm alright!" She assured the woman, waving off both the Master and the Lady's concerns. "I suppose _Myoujingiri_ just wasn't ready to do _that_ much curse-breaking yet," she said, wiping her mouth. "Don't worry… how about we get to work on, ah, Kiriya?"

"Are you sure you're alright for that?" Amane asked and she nodded.

"I'll be fine! I'll just go back to Shinobou's or Kyojuro's and sleep for a week afterward," she said as she waved off the couple's worries. Amane looked uneasy still but called for her son, who was nearby with his elder sisters in the garden. The black-haired, androgynous boy blinked but walked over to them.

"Yes, Mother?" he asked her and the woman explained the situation to him in quiet tones as Musashi regulated her breathing again. Ubuyashiki lightly touched her hand.

"Musashi, are you sure you're alright?" He asked and she nodded.

"Never better, dad," she hummed as she stood, helping the Master to his feet as well. A delighted expression was on his face and she blinked, her words dawning on her.

"Wait— I'm sorry—"

"No, no! By all means," the man laughed softly, "I don't mind. In fact, I'm honored that you consider me a father, Musashi," he told her as she led him over to where his wife was talking to their son. She flushed but grinned a bit before she glanced down to Kiriya.

"Ready to purge a curse from your body?" she asked the boy, who only nodded. He walked over to where his father had been standing previously, turning back to face Musashi and she opened her other eye again.

The same, sickly violet coloring of the curse was visible, though instead of being embedded it was coiled around the boy's core. She focused, eyes narrowing as she gathered _Myoujingiri's_ energy. Drawing the sword back again, she swung it, easily severing the threads of the curse.

Sheathing the blade, she closed her eyes, feeling her senses dull back to the low buzz they were normally at. _**Heavenly Eye**_ certainly raised her senses, but it was a bit painful outside of battle. She pulled her eyepatch back on before she opened her eyes.

"The curse should be released. Provided that I'm still around when Kiriya takes a wife of his own and has children, I'll check and make sure it's fully released," she said, "Right now though, Oyakata-sama should rest. I'm gonna go sleep for like, a week, but if you need me, Kyojuro should be around."

She bowed a bit, Amane and Kiriya bowing in return as Ubuyashiki smiled.

"Thank you, Musashi," he said, "What you have done will never be forgotten."

She gave the two and their son a grin. "Don't mention it," she told him before she bowed again and took off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took liberties with Myoujingiri but whatever. We never really got an explanation on how the curse was lifted from the family and I really like Ubuyashiki so that's that.
> 
> And Musashi slips up and calls Oyakata-sama Dad finally, so that's fun.
> 
> Once again, sorry for the delay, life's been all over the place for me.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I turned 20 yesterday. Also, remember how people were asking for another Servant? Well. Yep. Also very long chapter this one is to make up for my delay in posting last time

To many demon slayers, Oni and Demons were one and the same.

But having crossed swords with Shuten Douji when she was acting as Samghata Hell, Musashi knew better than to believe that. The Oni, in truth, were much more fierce than demons, and without fear of the sun— but only did things out of pleasure. They killed, yes, but it was only to grant them pleasure from the blood lust. That didn't make them better than Muzan's Demons. In fact, one could say that it made them worse, since, unlike Demons, they didn't need to eat human flesh to sustain themselves.

Despite that, Oni at least had morales— as loose as they were. Indeed, they were Monsters, but they were closer to humans than Muzan and his ilk.

And until recently, it had completely slipped Musashi's mind to even investigate Oni further. She hadn't even been sure if they were nothing but stories, and with the fight against Akaza, it hadn't been a priority. Once again, though, that was only until recently, seeing how it was on one of the recent missions that Musashi remembered.

A strange signature on Mt. Ōeyama had sparked the memory and she had ended up distracted for the rest of the mission. Not so much that her performance failed, but it was certainly obvious to anyone who knew her that her thoughts were elsewhere. When she had finished up in Kyoto, she had sent a message to Ubuyashiki for permission to investigate.

The letter that was returned was… wary. Ubuyashiki was rightfully concerned about the idea of an Oni entering into the picture— and knowing that she was near Mt. Ōe only made it worse. That mountain only meant one of two beings: Ibaraki Douji or Shuten Douji.

The ending result was the Master agreeing to let Musashi tackle the Mt. Ōe mystery but under the condition that she wait for another Pillar to assist her. Of the Pillars, Himejima was the closest to her location. Mt. Ōe was actually inside of his assigned region, according to what Ubuyashiki said.

Prior to her arrival, the Pillars had select territories to watch over, or at least that's what Kyojuro had told her. Kanroji and Kocho had joined the Pillars only half a year prior to her, and of course, with her appearance and breaking the Nine Pillar stigma, things had changed. Now, the Pillars were split into two groups— Regionals and Moving. There had been an even split between them, with the Regional Pillars covering large areas with major cities. The Regionals consisted of Obanai, Kanroji, Himejima, Tokito, and Kocho while the Pillars that had been more of the "return for orders" type were Tomioka, Shinazugawa, Kyojuro, and herself. Tengen had been with them as well, but due to his retirement just a week ago, the rest of the Corps would be picking up where he had left.

That wasn't much of a problem, though. Musashi and the other Pillars took down demons left and right without so much of a sweat usually.

And it worked in Musashi's favor that Himejima was stationary. She didn't have to wait too long, as the man was already close to the mountain.

The duel wielding swordswoman stretched as she waited at the base of the mountain, gazing up at the sky for a moment as she thought. As of late, the civilians in the area around it had been avoiding it like the plague. Livestock, travelers, and merchandise alike had gone missing, and that only confirmed Musashi's suspicions. Oni or not, something was up there. Something powerful and dangerous to civilians.

She blinked, lowering her arms as she gazed down the road, squinting before she saw the large figure of the monk turned Demon Slayer walking towards her.

"Gyomei!" she called, waving her arm and the man tilted his head, walking over to where he had heard her voice.

"Good afternoon, Musashi," he greeted.

"Ready to tackle Mt Ōe?" she asked him and he sighed a bit, rubbing his hands together and jostling the prayer beads around them.

"I still do not understand exactly why you wish to investigate such a hot bead of activity instead of simply wiping it off the map," he admitted, "But yes."

"You're probably right about that," she said as they started to walk along the mountain path. "But I want to investigate either way. Attacking a nest without knowing who exactly is the King of the Mountain is a bad plan. If it's Ibaraki Douji, I wouldn't know how to deal with that fight. If it's Shuten Douji, then I'd rather avoid a fight to the death with an angered Oni like her again. Oni just do things because they want to, I might be able to sway Shuten…." she sighed a bit, shrugging.

"But it could all be in vain," She admitted, "Whatever's up there could just end up not wanting anything to do with this or just flat out attack. It might not even be Shuten Douji."

Himejima just hummed in return, seeming to understand as they walked. "As long as you know what you're doing…"

"I wouldn't say that I do, but let's hope!" she laughed before he smiled slightly, amused. "Thank you for agreeing with my request. I know that even with Nezuko, demons and Oni aren't to be trusted."

The monk simply hummed again. "Think nothing of it."

(x)

It was close to the summit of the mountain when the air started getting heavy, sticky, and warm, the scent of alcohol was so strong that Musashi was worried they might get intoxicated by just smelling it. The two Pillars had passed through a Demon Gate not too long ago, and the sky had certainly darkened from the beginning of their journey. They were getting close.

Musashi could feel eyes on her and Himejima as they walked, the Stone Pillar holding his weapon in his hands as the Void pillar rested her hands at her sides. Not quite on her swords, but close enough to draw them within seconds.

By the time the two reached the second Demon Gate, Himejima was looking a bit uncomfortable. The scent of alcohol was affecting him, it seemed, and Musashi wasn't faring much better. She was getting a bit dizzy, but she refused to turn back.

Stepping through the Gate, its iron doors slammed shut behind them. She glanced back for a split second as they stepped into a courtyard before she gazed forwards. The courtyard was quite large, a towering pagoda was on the opposite end and walls vanished into the mountain's forest around them. With the gate closed, the two Pillars were all but trapped within the walls of the stronghold.

Musashi was certain now— this was an Oni's castle.

"Oh my," a voice crooned, seeming to come from everywhere as Musashi glanced around, shifting her footing. "I didn't think that they would send not just one, but _two_ Pillars to my mountain."

Musashi gripped her swords as the voice spoke. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck rising with every word. She certainly knew that voice, meaning her hunch had been right.

Shuten Douji existed here.

"Interesting… interesting…" Musashi stiffened suddenly as she felt hands on her shoulders and suddenly a woman's face was beside hers. Her skin was pale and her hair cut short. Her eyes a lustrous purple and shining with amusement. Her lips were curled upwards as she flipped her body over Musashi's, landing in front of her and Himejima gracefully with her kimono flowing outwards.

"I didn't think that you'd also be here," the Oni said. Musashi shifted.

"So you're…"

"Samghata Hell? Well, yes and no," she said, brushing her bangs back. "All I have a few of her memories, but it doesn't matter to me in all honesty, and I hardly know _why_ I have them. Once again, though, I don't care about that~" she hummed, "Are you here to kill me?"

"Only if you give me a reason to," Musashi said slowly, "I'm mostly here to talk."

Shuten blinked, tilting her head. "Oh~?"

Himejima shifted and then suddenly Shuten was leaning over the Stone Pillar's shoulder. He stiffened a bit as she traced her fingers along the embodied kanji on his _haori._

"Speak then," she hummed, climbing up and sitting on the larger Pillar's shoulder. Himejima didn't move, seeming to be processing what was happening. He wasn't outright hostile at least, but he certainly wasn't comfortable with the Oni of Mt. Ōe being so close to him. Musashi didn't exactly blame him, the last time Musashi met Shuten Douji outside of battle was when she had decided to sic Oorochi on them. And of course, Ritsuka had then been flung off the side of the mountain, which had almost given her a heart attack.

The Oni settled, seeming to pull a _sakazuki_ from nowhere, already full of _sake_ as Musashi started to speak.

"I'll cut right to the point," she said as the Oni took a drink from her dish, humming. "What do you know about Muzan?"

The Oni stopped, her grip tightening on the red-colored dish and hairline cracks started to appear under her fingers as she smiled at Musashi. "Oh, enough," she said, "Why? Is this about killing him?"

"You catch on fast," Musashi said calmly, "You seem to radiate hate towards him."

"Of course I do, sweetie," she cooed, seeming to reign in her emotions. "When Muzan first started causing trouble, the Oni of this world would drink to the sorrow he brought. But then he didn't stop. Soon his _Demons_ were too notorious— he destroyed the hierarchy."

At this, Musashi tilted her head. "The hierarchy?" she asked and Shuten hummed, taking a sip of her drink again as she nodded.

"Yes, just like humans, the supernatural worlds have their hierarchies as well," she hummed, "Spirits have theirs, the gods bow to the Great Amaterasu and praise Inari for her far-reaching influence, but us Oni and the more evil Youkai and beasts worship the serpent who brought down the sun— Yamata no Oorochi. My father. Muzan wiped all memory of that terror from the humans' eyes. So that's why the Oni decided to rampage… ahh, but now in this era, it seems as if all of the mystics are gone…" the woman shook her head as she finished her dish of _sake_. "Ruling over demons is a pain, they don't listen, and they feast relentlessly. They're nothing but animals…"

"Do you not also feed on humans?" Himejima asked and Shuten blinked, reaching over and patting his cheek.

"So he speaks~ How lovely~" she cooed. "You're right. To humans, I'm no different— and I'm not going to repent from my man-eating and slaughter in the past. But unlike demons, I don't hold a grudge for the humans to retaliate and kill me in the past. Compared to the Supernatural, humans are constantly evolving…" she ran her index finger around the edge of the _sakazuki_ with a hum. "But unlike demons, I don't need to fest on humans. I did because I felt like it— ruling over legions is tough work, you know."

She lightly poked the blind man's cheek, "Just so you little Demon Slayers know, I did love humans to an extent. Oni and Humans are closer than Demons and humans— little miss Tomoe Gozen is proof of that."

"Oh, that's right…" Musashi said, nodding, "She did have Oni blood."

"Fufu… yes," Shuten hummed before she hopped off of Himejima's shoulder. "But, I wonder… if her ancestors were truly happy? Oni and Humans don't love the same way…" she shrugged before she turned to Musashi, smiling as a gourd of _sake_ appeared in her hand in a shower of golden flecks. The Oni poured herself another dish of the drink, humming still.

"If you're asking about that Demon, then I can assume you have some sort of request for me… if it's to not get involved, then that's fine. I didn't plan too, after all," she said, taking a drink. "Hmm, but if you're asking for me to join in the fight… Ooh, I don't know… that sounds like an awful lot of work…"

Musashi shifted, eyes narrowing. Shuten was powerful, she knew that first hand. But she had no intention of getting involved if she was comfortable where she was. What exactly was it that would push her to join? A fight? Musashi wasn't sure if she could take her on again.

Drink? Well, she seemed to have enough where she was.

"What would convince you, Shuten Douji…?" she asked slowly, "Muzan has been getting bolder. It's safe to assume that a final fight is on the horizon… you're angry about him disrupting a natural hierarchy, but you're not going to do anything." she sighed, shaking her head. "I had thought about what I could offer in exchange, but… A fight wouldn't be in my favor, I know you're much stronger than me if you're confident enough to roll into battle with _sake_ and fruit. Alcohol was another option, but I'm unsure how much that would eat into funds and also how much you already have."

The duel wielding swordswoman drew her sword, pulling her palm across the blade before she held it out. "All I can offer is blood."

Shuten stared before her lips curled upwards and she laughed. "Fufufu~ I honestly would have taken the drink, if you offered, but this is more interesting…" she said, licking her lips as she hopped over to Musashi. She placed her hand on hers before she pushed it down. "But it's not yours I want."

In a flash, the Oni was leaning over Himejima's shoulder again. "Just a taste… you see, I quite like handsome, strong men. He's no Kintoki, but he certainly fits the bill."

Musashi stiffened, clenching her first as blood dripped down her palm. Himejima was silent, weighing his options.

"Just a bite," he said after what felt like an eternity of silence. Shuten looked surprised before she grinned, leaning down and kissing his neck.

"Good boy," she cooed before she bit into the flesh. The blind Pillar stiffened a bit as she ran her tongue against the bite wounds, lapping up the blood. She pulled back after a moment, licking her lips with a satisfied look.

"Satisfied?" Himejima asked and she hummed, hopping down.

"For now~" she hummed before she smiled at Musashi. "Let's go~ You can buy me drinks on the way back~" she added, reaching down and pulling the ribbons off of her ankles. She tied her kimono closed with them, humming as she snapped her fingers. The gate that led out of the stronghold opened and she walked through. Musashi glanced up at Himejima, who was wiping the blood from his neck with a sigh.

"Sorry," she told him and he just pat her head.

"It's alright," he assured, "It seems you were correct— Oni and demons are certainly different."

"But not by much."

"No, not by much. But she does seem more... Toleratable," Himejima offered. Musashi hummed.

"Yeah, she is. I'd rather stay peaceful with her than with Muzan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SHUTEN'S HERE. I know that Servants don't retain their memories when they're resummoned— or that they're not supposed to. Avicebron sorta did in LB1 and I think one other Servant does too, but I don't quite remember. But my excuse is a.) Freedom of creativity and I wanted Shuten to know Musashi to an extent. b.) Shuten summoned in a strange way.
> 
> sakazuki are the red, saucer-like dishes that are used to drink sake from
> 
> The Oni are just barely older than Muzan, as the first mention of Oni recorded is in the Nara period, which is the early 8th century. Muzan is from the Heian period, which was the late 8th century.
> 
> While Shuten might not be older than Muzan (Shuten's legend is from the 10th century), she's still… much more powerful. We also only know that Shuten and Ibaraki started raiding around the late 10th century, but not when they became oni/were born as oni. Shuten is the daughter of Yamata no Oorochi, who first appears in 680, which is pre-muzan.
> 
> If we go based off of the same logic that we dont know when Shuten was born or how old Oorochi was when he first appears, Shuten could have been as old as two hundred years before Muzan was even inflicted with his illness. In short, who knows. for the sake of this fic though, Shuten is one of the first Oni. If you guys did know of a text that states how long Shuten was around before the story of Kintoki and Raikou, id like to check it out!
> 
> Also a bit of Okami fun there with Oorochi being the one who brought Amaterasu down and being the king of monsters. Granted, I don't know if that's true in actual mythos or not, but Oorochi is very notorious. In Okami he's considered the King of demons until you realize he's just one of many big bosses. In Okami, Oorochi is responsible for landing a fatal blow to Shiranui— who is also Amaterasu.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been playing Pokemon while in the middle of moving which has done absolutely nothing for my health but its fine. I'm gonna catch a Snom.

Musashi's arrival back at Head Quarters was met with an amused Shuten watching as Kyojuro quite literally tackled the swordswoman to the ground. The Flame Pillar hadn't been told about the Mt. Ōe mission, nor had any of the other Pillars outside of Himejima, so it had been natural for him to be confused.

No word came from her when she should have been done with her mission well before the Flame Pillar had, so he had been worried. Of course, after getting tackled to the ground, Ubuyashiki had slowly come out to greet them. The Master of the Demon Slayers was looking much better than before, with the curse gone, she supposed it was natural.

Shuten and Ubuyashiki had an intense stare-off before he had bowed to her slightly, sealing the truce between them.

And in typical fashion, she had asked for alcohol as her pay.

That lead the two Pillars to where they were now, settled in the of the Ubuyashiki Family Manor's back garden with the Master, along with Shuten.

"So that's basically what happened," Musashi sighed as Kyojuro rested his chin on her head. The _Niten Ichi-Ryuu_ creator was settled between the Flame Pillar's legs, the man's arms wrapped around her waist as they talked to Ubuyashiki, who was watering some of his flowers. The man had admitted that he quite liked to do so now that he could move around better and instead of relying on his wife and children, he used a cane occasionally— though he knew the garden by heart already.

Shuten had taken to the roof, though she was certainly listening in as she drank through the family's _sake_ stores— though the Master had also admitted that it was best. He and Amane kept getting _sake_ as gifts from Tengen and other Pillars, but he never drank that much.

"Interesting…" the master hummed, glancing in the direction that Shuten was. "So until Muzan makes his move, Shuten Dōji will simply be around."

"Yes, Oyakata-sama." Musashi confirmed, "She has no wish to go out and kill demons unless they attack her first. Despite the stories of Shuten Dōji, she's much more likely to drink and relax than start street fights and hunt down demons and humans."

Kyojuro huffed softly, poking her in the stomach. "I can't believe you and Gyomei ran off to Mt. Ōe without me," he grumbled, "So mean, my love."

Musashi flushed a bit, huffing a bit in return. "You were all the way on Honshu, I wasn't going to stand around for three days waiting for you to come down to the Kansai area."

He grumbled again but stopped with Ubuyashiki chuckled, the dark-haired man walking back over to the two slowly.

"I will be honest with you, Musashi, I was wary when you said that you wanted to investigate," he admitted, lightly smiling. "But I'm glad you did. Shuten Dōji could be the final piece we need."

"To be fair," the Oni hummed as she hopped down from the roof, walking over and holding a flask of sake in between her index and middle fingers and her thumb loosely. "The Oni found Muzan to be more of an embarrassment than anything. An Oni does not fear the sun, we simply prefer the moon. Oni drink, eat, get wasted, and are merry in their own ways. Oni relish in the pain of others, but we have limits— I would never drink in favor of Ibaraki's abandonment. Muzan has no such restraint." the Oni shrugged with a hum. "As one of the only, _true_ mystics of this era, I find his presence annoying. The fact that he's still alive makes my skin itch."

Her lips had curled up into a cruel smile as she spoke, making Kyojuro's arms tighten slightly around Musashi. She just pat his arm as the Oni walked right up to Ubuyashiki, gazing up at him.

"That doesn't mean I'm planning on playing to your rules, though~" she told him, "I still plan on teasing and drinking until I drop~ I might even decide to take a nibble out of some of your other Pillars."

"Shuten," Musashi warned.

"Yes~ Yes~ I know~ children are not to have blood stolen, I can loot corpses and act as a glorified janitor for messes if I'm in an area, and no touching the two, _delicious_ men in this garden," the Oni sighed, but didn't sound disappointed, just amused. Ubuyashiki only smiled before he bowed a bit.

"I thank you for your help, then, Shuten Dōji."

She waved him off. "No need for thanks," she told him, "But if you really want to be thankful, more _sake_ would be wonderful, honey~"

"Of course." He laughed softly as Musashi and Kyojuro stood, both bowing to him.

"That concludes my report," Musashi said, "Are there any orders currently for myself or Kyojuro?"

Ubuyashiki hummed, thinking. "Not that I'm aware of," he said, "Thank you for coming by, Musashi."

She bowed again with a hum before she and Kyojuro took off. Based off of what she knew about the Oni, Shuten would most likely be taking off soon as well. A _Kasugaigarasu_ had been granted to her in order to keep in touch, and the Oni had promised she wasn't going to eat the poor bird. Kyojuro had been surprisingly calm about the situation, no doubt that was Ubuyashiki's doing.

"Musa~" Kyojuro hummed once they were a ways from the Estate. "We should do something."

She blinked, looking up at him as he took her hand in his. "Like what?"

He hummed again, thinking as he looked up at the sky. "Dinner?"

She blinked before she smiled, squeezing his hand.

"That sounds good."

(X)

A week after Musashi had returned, both she and Kyojuro had taken off for the Sword Smiths' village. Kyojuro because he wanted to request for a second sword to use in a worst-case scenario, Musashi because she had put a request in from Haganezuka a month back, but no response had come from him.

The two had been in luck, as Kanroji was also heading that direction so the three Pillars had been taken to the village together.

The three of them had been met by the Elder of the Village and a few other swordsmiths. Tecchin had assured her that her weapon was almost done. With Haganezuka missing, the elder of the village took it upon himself to finish Musashi's request. It would be done by that night, while Kyojuro's request was almost done.

Unfortunately for the Flame Pillar, though, his smith had pulled him away to test the new sword and to make sure the fine details were in order. Musashi and Kanroji, on the other hand, were headed to the springs once the Love Pillar handed her sword to her assigned smith.

Musashi stretched as she settled back in the warm water. Both her and Kanroji's clothes were folded and off to the side, Musashi's eyepatch, hair ornament, and swords laying on top of hers.

Kanroji giggled softly as she slipped in next to her. "Musashi~ did you see Kyojuro's face when he was dragged off?" she asked and Musashi laughed a bit, running her hands through her hair as she detangled it.

"He looked disappointed for sure," she said and Kanroji giggled again, leaning against her with a smile.

"He really loves you, you know!"

Musashi blushed a bit, smiling. "Yeah… I feel bad though… Even though I've been here for so long, there's no guarantee that I'll stay. I could be gone tomorrow." She shook her head, reaching up and lightly brushing against her right eye. "He really wants to get married and have a family, but with me having no idea what parents are like outside of watching others… ah, I just feel bad, Mitsuri."

Kanroji's smile fell and she huffed a bit. "Musashi, we're Demon Slayers. There's already no guarantee that we'll survive tomorrow," she told her gently, reaching over and taking her hand in both of hers. The Love Pillar smiled as Musashi looked over to her.

"Even if there's no guarantee that you'll stay here," she continued, "I think you and Kyojuro should go ahead and get married! It's important to you both right? I know you haven't _been_ together in a relationship for a long time, but you've been basically living under the same roof for nearly three years, right?"

Musashi nodded and Kanroji squeezed her hand. "Are you afraid, Musashi?"

"Afraid of getting married?" she asked, thinking before she shook her head. "No, that's not it… I don't think so at least."

Kanroji pursed her lips. "Then... are you afraid of raising children?"

Musashi paused, as she came to a realization. It made sense, now that it was voiced by someone who wasn't her.

"I think... That might be it..." she breathed, gripping Kanroji's hand tightly. The Love Pillar's eyes softened.

"Oh… Musashi…" she said softly, "Is it because of your own father?"

She nodded silently. "I've jokingly talked to Kyojuro about it, but honestly, I'm terrified. I don't know what it means to be a mother, and I'm not one to settle down ever. I'd be a bad housewife. I didn't have a stable parental figure to go off of, after all, and ever since I was six, I ended up always on the move, so I don't really know how to be a parent…" she sighed, "And of course, I was the reason my own mother died, after all, dying in battle is one thing, but leaving a bitter feeling when he would look at his child is another…"

"You shouldn't worry about those things, Musashi!" a loud voice said and both women startled and turned, seeing the Flame Pillar walking up the path. Neither woman seemed too startled that he was seeing them in the nude, though they were both more startled that he had shown up so quickly.

Kanroji hummed, letting go of Musashi's hand before she smiled. "I'll let the two of you talk," she said with a hum before she reached over for a towel, covering herself as she stood and moved to another one of the pools.

Musashi shifted, sighing softly as the Flame Pillar slipped into the Love Pillar's spot, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against his side. The two stayed like that for a while before Kyojuro spoke, his head resting against hers.

"I don't want you to be afraid, Musashi," he said softly, lightly nuzzling her hair. "I want to marry you, children or no children. So I don't want you to be worried about childrearing and family starting. I want to get married because I love _you_ , Musashi. Children would be wonderful, but only if _you_ want them too."

Musashi nestled against his chest with a soft sigh. "I know…" she murmured, "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize!" he laughed softly, leaning down and kissing her nose. She smiled, nuzzling his chin before a branch snapped and the two turned, seeing a tall, dark-haired boy with a mohawk staring at them.

The boy had a scar going across his cheek and stretching across his nose before it stopped. He had sharp eyes that reminded Musashi of Shinaguzawa, though without the crazed look in them, though they were blown wide.

He seemed more flustered than anything, having frozen in his tracks.

There was silence before the boy turned and sprinted in towards the smith village.

"Well," Musashi said a moment after the boy vanished from sight. "I guess he didn't want to bathe."

Kyojuro tossed his head back, laughing— his laughter echoing around them in the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some lighthearted stuff.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is quite a bit shorter than usual at only 1.2K instead of my usual nearing 2k chapters. I've finally moved into my new house, but college starts in exactly a month, so that means everything I just unpacked will be put back into a box and taken to college, so everything's been a bit more hectic.
> 
> On another note, I got Iskandar on the GSSR and I also now have NP3 Li Shuwen, which is fantastic! Li Shuwen is one of my favorites.

The Pillars didn't see the dark-haired boy at all that night, but they did end up seeing the Kamado siblings briefly before dinner. As it turned out, the two of them ended up eating with the two of them along with Kanroji when dinner was served.

Tanjirou had been a bit startled to see not just one, but three Pillars in the area. According to the boy, he had met with Kanroji on his way to the springs. Kanroji and the siblings had both run into the dark-haired boy as well.

"So he _was_ a Shinaguzawa," Musashi mused as she tied Nezuko's hair up like her own at the girl's insistence (though it was in soft "mm" and "Hmm"s while she lightly tugged at her hair and tapped on the ornament in it). Tanjirou nodded, electing not to verbalize his confirmation over Kyojuro's routine exclamations of "Tasty!" and Kanroji's giggles of her former mentor's antics.

"Shinazugawa told us he didn't have one, so maybe the two just don't get along?" she mused before shrugging, patting Nezuko, who cooed softly and shrunk down to sit in Musashi's lap. "That's kinda sad."

Tanjirou tilted his head. "Why do you say that?" he asked, blinking as he took a bite of his meal.

She shrugged a bit, humming. "Well, Kanroji and Kyojuro both get along well with their siblings, and so do you with Nezuko. The Ubuyashiki children get along pretty well, I suppose. I would assume that any family left is very important to someone," she said before thinking, "Well, I didn't really get to know my brother since we were, er, raised apart. But you know, if Shinazugawa and mini Shinazugawa are both Demon Slayers, I would've suspected that they would have had a more..." she made a hand motion and Tanjirou seemed to understand. The boy hummed, thinking a bit.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But yeah... that's kinda sad, now that you mention it like that."

She nodded before she fell silent before she blinked. "Oh! Right," she hummed, reaching into the _yukata_ that the villagers had granted her.

She pulled the _kiku-gata_ shaped _tsuba_ that had served as her original eyepatch from the folds, holding it out to the boy with a slight grin. "Here. I herd your sword needed full repairs. The _tsuba_ from your last one was busted up too. It would take Haganezuka a lot longer to do everything so I brought this to give to him for you."

The boy's eyes widened and he gently took it into his hands. "Was this…?"

"The first eyepatch you saw me wearing when we first met at the Pillar meeting and on the train?" she finished with a nod. "Yeah. When Tengen lost his eye he insisted on dragging Kyojuro and I out to shop for eyepatches. I ended up caving and getting one that was similar in shape but out of cloth." she indicated to the black fabric that covered her eye, then to the one Kyojuro wore— His having had a simple, embroidered flame pattern on the black patch, as per Uzui's insistence.

"Wasn't sure what to do with it afterward, then Tengen mentioned that your sword had been shattered and busted up in the fight against the Demon Moon. Figured you could use it more than I could. Besides…" she grinned a bit, shrugging. "Brought me to certain victory twice against legendary swordmasters."

Tanjirou's eyes shone as he bowed a bit, lips pulled back in a bright smile.

"Thank you!" he said happily. "Wow… I didn't ever think that anyone would give me something of this much importance…"

Musashi laughed a bit, reaching over and patting his head, lightly ruffling his hair too. "Aw, you're adorable!"

Tanjirou blushed as Kyojuro leaned over, resting his chin on Musashi's shoulder. "Musa, me too."

She laughed again, using her other hand to pat the fiery man as well. He seemed satisfied with that, leaning into her touch as Kanroji struck up a conversation with Tanjirou, Nezuko moving to play with the pink-haired woman.

Kyojuro pressed his face against Musashi's neck as she listened to the two talk, humming softly as he kissed the bare skin. She shivered, huffing, and he gazed back up at her with a cheeky grin. She rolled her eye as she settled back contently, still lightly patting and stroking his hair. Kyojuro's arms wound around her waist as he pulled her between his legs, the two contently watching the boy and the Love Pillar converse.

"Void Piller Bennosuke?" a voice said and the two looked up to see a _Kakushi_ walking over to them.

"What's up?" Musashi asked as Kyojuro sat up with a soft huff. The _Kakushi_ had wonderfully suggested to call her one of her other names, as they weren't overly comfortable with using the Pillars' first names.

"The smiths are just about done with what you requested, they'd like to see you for some final adjustments," he said before glancing to Kyojuro.

"And Flame Pillar Rengoku, your next orders have arrived, the sooner we depart the better."

The two pillars exchanged a glance before Kyojuro sighed, standing before he smiled. "Well, I best hurry on out then!" he laughed, making Kanroji and Tanjirou look over to him.

"Leaving already?" Kanroji asked, lips quirked downwards in disappointment as Musashi stood as well. Tanjirou also looked disappointed and Nezuko sat up, blinking owlishly at the two pillars.

"Yeah, duty never rests, after all!" Kyojuro hummed, smiling.

"I'm probably heading out as soon as I'm done meeting with Tecchin," she added, humming. "Besides, no better way to test out a new weapon than to fight with it!"

That seemed to make Kanroji perk up, nodding with a grin. "Right!"

"Be safe, Rengoku-Aniki! Um, Musashi-anesan!"

Musashi startled a bit at the title before she grinned, waving as she left.

"You too, kiddo," she said before she turned to follow the _Kakushi_ out of the room with Kyojuro.

She glanced back at the room after a moment as they walked, thinking.

Tanjirou was growing into a fine kid. He'd be able to put that guard to better use than she would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aniki and Anesan are both terms of endearment for older siblings. Anesan is usually used for like. Tough Older Sisters, if I recall correctly.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a shorter chapter but it's a bit of a setup. Anyways, the next chapter that gets released is going to be the last for a bit, since on Aug 17th I move back on campus and the 18th, College starts again. There'll probably be adjustments in the posting schedule then, so sorry about that. Also sorry that it's late again, life is hard.

News on the attack on the Smith Village reached the Pillars' ears quite quickly.

Musashi and Kyojuro had both been too far away to help, though Kanroji had been close enough to be able to, which certainly was a relief. Of the outcomes from the battle at the Smith Village, the most startling was the newfound information of Nezuko's resistance to the sun. Her human mentality was coming back, according to the reports, and she could say small phrases without trouble.

But no matter how interesting or impressive, it was beside the point.

An Emergency Pillar Meeting had been called by the Master.

Tokito and Kanroji were up on their feet again, and without Uzui, their numbers were nine, but all of them made it to the estate without hesitation.

Shinaguzawa was irritated as they waited, annoyed that he hadn't gotten to fight any Upper Moons, though Iguro had told him that it wasn't like they popped up like the common ilk. Himejima was been silently praying, sitting at the head of the group with his head bowed and hands together. Both Musashi and Kyojuro glanced at each other as Iguro and Shinazugawa were glowering at each other— They were both glad that the two Pillars managed to make it out unscathed, but to hope to meet an Upper Moon?

Akaza had been a trial, though that had been partially the fault of Musashi for not using _**Six Realms Five Planes: The Divine Figure of Kurikara**_ right from the gate. That said, if Shinazugawa or any of the rest of the Pillars were to encounter a Moon who was a Slayer previously on their own? Well, it could get... messy.

"It's good that you two are alright, nonetheless," Musashi voiced, smiling a bit at Kanroji and Tokito. "Ahh, If we were a day later then we could've helped."

Kanroji giggled. "Don't worry too much about it, Musashi," she said as Tokito nodded silently.

She smiled again as Himejima's prayer beads rattled a bit. "We should proceed with caution, however," he rumbled, "Uzui's retirement is regrettable and while it is noble indeed that both Kanroji and Tokito were able to defeat an Upper Moon each, losing more Pillars would cause a problem as of now."

"Umu," Kyojuro agreed, nodding. "Though that seems as if that's why we're gathered today!"

The rest of the pillars nodded, lapsing into silence before sitting up straight and orienting themselves to face the doors as they opened. Ubuyashiki, along with Amane, Kiriya, and Kanta entered.

In unison, the Pillars' hands hit the _tatami_ flooring as they bowed.

"It is most honorable to be in your presence, Oyakata-sama," Himejima said calmly, head bowed. "We pray for your safety in these times."

The blind, but no longer cursed, man smiled gently as he sat in front of him, Amane at his side and his children sitting on either side of their parents.

"Thank you, my children," he said as the nine of them sat back up. "I'm sure you have all heard, but we now have another demon who has conquered the sun among our ranks," the man started the meeting off and Shinazugawa, Iguro, and Tomioka tensed slightly as they caught the word 'another' in the sentence. Tokito seemed to be more alert upon hearing it, and both Kanroji and Kocho startled. Himejima, Kyojuro, and herself didn't move. They were the only three who already knew, after all. They would be breaching the topic later.

"Kibutsuji Muzan has most likely altered his goals to go after Nezuko Kamado so that he can conquer the sun himself," the Master continued, "The time for an all-out battle is approaching."

Shinazugawa opened his mouth to speak, most likely to ask about what Ubuyashiki meant when he said 'another' but Amane put her finger to her lips as her husband continued on. The Wind Pillar snapped his jaw shut, gripping his fists against his legs as he grit his teeth.

"We also have had reports of strange marks appearing on Kanroji and Tokito during their battles against Upper Moons Four and Five," he said, tone level and calming the agitated Wind Pillar. "I would like to ask you two about how you got those marks and what the conditions to obtain them are."

Kanroji and Tokito both startled.

"Marks?" the Love Pillar asked and Ubuyashiki nodded.

"Yes," he said, "During the Sengoku Era, there were some swordsmen of the Breath who were one step away from ending Kibutsuji Muzan… and they all had marks that resembled Demon Crests."

Musashi's eye widened as shock rippled through the Pillars. Himejima didn't look all that surprised, but then again, neither did Kyojuro. Most likely, knowledge of the Marks had been passed down through the Flame Pillar's family.

"Why haven't we heard of these 'Marks' before?" Shinazugawa asked, scowling a bit. Kyojuro hummed, thinking before he answered in the Master's stead.

"Many people were brooding over not gaining their Marks," the Flame Pillar said, his lips drawn into a frown. "Stories of the Marks have been in my family for generations, but only a handful of Demon Slayers were able to have theirs appear. Eventually, knowledge of them vanished."

Amane nodded. "The last swordsmen recorded to ever gain the Slayer Marks was a man known only to the Slayers as T _ajima no Kami_. Records show that he worked alone and fought alone, very little about him _is_ known aside from that..."

She trailed off as a sudden pressure made the Pillars turn and Musashi tensed, her brows furrowed. Forcing calm, she recomposed herself with a slight glint in her eye. "Yagyu Munenori was a Demon Slayer here, then, that's good..." she said at the questioning look, keeping her voice level.

"Ah, so you met him, Musashi?" Ubuyashiki asked and she nodded, reaching up and lightly brushing her fingers over her eyepatch.

"Yeah… I did," she said with a nod, "The Saber of Empireo. One of the fiercest fighters I fought in Shimousa…" she ran a hand through her hair. "A human who fought alongside the Demon Swordsmen. His... story there was interesting. You would've never thought that a stiff, rule-following guy would ever take such a dark path just so he could fight me a second time!"

She laughed a bit, rubbing the back of her neck before she sighed. "Well, I'm glad that here, old man Tajima decided to stay with the humans." Her smile fell. "But that's beside the point. Oyakata-sama and Lady Amane, I apologize for interrupting."

"No need to apologize," Ubuyashiki said gently, smiling. "Nonetheless, we know very little about these Slayer Marks, but there is one thing we do know. Once one Slayer has the Mark on them, the others around them start to resonate. As of now, though, the person who first had the mark was not any of the Pillars here, but rather Kamado Tanjirou."

The Pillars glanced at each other. Shinazugawa's brows were drawn into a frown as Tokito nodded, seeming to be proud of that fact.

"When we asked him," Lady Amane started, "He had a hard time explaining how he received those marks. We could have simply left it at that, but then we got word that two of the Pillars had received similar marks."

The white-haired woman bowed a bit. "So please inform us, Kanroji-sama, Tokito-sama… how it is you got your marks."

Kanroji instantly perked up, nodding. "O-okay!" she said, taking a breath. "So, like, back then, my body was like, super light!" she started, "And, Uhh, uhhh…" she brightened, seeming to suddenly find the words she was looking for.

"It was like **baaaam!** And **durrrrr** and **budaah!** And then my heart went **badum badum** , and my ears went **screeeeee!** And **tinkle tankle** too!" the Love Pillar exclaimed.

Musashi stared at her, silent as the others in the room did the same. How the hell were they supposed to figure out what that meant? Iguro pressed his index finger and thumb to his forehead as he shook his head, sighing silently.

It only took a few more moments of silence for Kanroji to realize that no one knew what she meant, the woman bowing with her forehead to the floorboards.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'll go hide in a hole now…"

' _They're exactly the same…'_ Musashi thought, patting her fellow pillar with a sympathetic smile. Tokito shifted, frowning a bit.

"I wasn't aware of any marks," he said, drawing the attention to him as he spoke. "But I did notice some significant changes while I was fighting… I will tell them to you now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be longer


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life's been kicking me while I've been down but I'll survive. College has changed so I have a different move in time, but I still start classes on the 17th apparently so that's... fun. Anyways, we get to see some more Shinazugawa vs Musashi before the leadup to the final fight kicks off.

"I couldn't move during the previous battle because I got poisoned," the Mist Pillar started as the others gazed at him. The boy's eyes staid gazing forwards as he spoke despite the gazed on him. "I was using my breaths to try and delay the poison, but a boy who tried to save me nearly lost his life, and my old memories came back. I got so angry that I lost complete control of my emotions."

His brow furrowed a bit as he continued. "I think my heart rate went over 200 BPM… and my body became burning hot. I think my body temperature went over thirty-nine degrees."

Kocho startled as Kyojuro's brows furrowed.

"That's not exactly a good condition to be fighting in. That temperature alone could kill you unless you're part of the Flame Breathing branch. Raising the body temperature is normal for us, but I don't think my father or I have ever reached that number. That's quite dangerous," he remarked as the Insect Pillar nodded.

"It would have been life-threatening," she agreed and Tokito shrugged his shoulders slightly, oversized sleeves shifting.

"Well, it is because of that reason that I think I can be used as a screening test," he suggested, his normally vacant eyes becoming deathly serious. "Will you die or will you not? That's probably the difference between those who have the mark appear and those who do not."

"A heart rate over 200 BPM…" Musashi murmured, "And a body temperature of around thirty-nine degrees… That sounds almost like _**Mana Burst**_ to me…" Her eye narrowed as the other Pillars along with the Ubuyashiki family looked at her.

"'Mana… burst'?" Kanroji asked and Musashi nodded.

"It's a Servant Skill. As you know, ServantAt its base, it is the increase in performance caused by infusing one's weapons and body with energy— usually magical but in this case, I assume it's one's life energy— and instantly expelling it," the one-eyed woman explained, "High-speed, strong defenses, impossible leaps, flames, gems, light and lightning, water, stars, even condensed beams of energy… the only thing is, no normal human can manage that."

Musashi shook her head. "I have doubts that Magecraft and Magic are as advanced here as they would've been in other worlds, but nonetheless, _**Mana Burst**_ would simply kill anyone who wasn't a Servant. Or wasn't someone who trained with Magecraft their entire lives… and I've never known any sort of _**Mana Burst**_ that activates another's."

Ubuyashiki tapped his fingers lightly, seeming to think as the other Pillars glanced at each other.

"That could be the reason for the curse that is affiliated with the Marks," the master of the Slayers said after a long moment.

"Curse?"

The blind man nodded. "Yes. Any Demon Slayers who have awakened the Demon Slayer Mark are said to die upon reaching the age of twenty-five."

Upon hearing that the Pillars all tensed a bit. Of the Pillars assembled, Himejima was older than twenty-five at age twenty-seven. Then there were Kyojuro, Tomioka, Shinazugawa, Iguro, and Musashi to consider— all of them had reached their twenties, though Musashi was unsure of the exact year she knew she was not twenty and not twenty-five but somewhere in the middle.

Kocho and Kanroji would be in their twenties soon, so even if the Marks assisted in the end of Muzan, it was highly unlikely that any of them aside from Tokito would live long enough to see any longer-term impacts from it. If they all survived that was.

"Either way," Kyojuro spoke up, "If it means gaining an edge against Muzan and the Demons, then I am willing to lose my life over this!"

"I agree," Himejima said, his prayer beads rattling a bit as the other Pillars nodded. It was their duty and if their lives were cut short because of it, so be it.

"That said, we still do not know the qualifications to obtaining these Marks," Kocho said but Tokito shook his head.

"Remember when you were treating my wounds, Kocho?" he asked her and she nodded. "I had a fever, right? And the temperature recorded was thirty-nine degrees. My guess is that I had the same body temperature when the mark appeared."

Shinazugawa clicked his tongue. "So it's that simple, huh?" he asked.

"I envy those simpletons who can say this is simple," Tomioka uttered and suddenly Iguro and Shinazugawa's ire was on the Water Pillar.

Kyojuro crossed his arms. "Looks like getting this mark is going to be our priority as Pillars, mhm!"

Ubuyashiki nodded with a light smile. "Yes. I trust that you all will figure out a way to train together, but I must request something from you, my children."

Kanroji tilted her head. "What would that be, Oyakata-sama?" she asked.

"Those who have manifested the mark must participate," he said, "No matter who it appeared for, and there will be no exceptions."

(x)

Musashi stretched her back as the doors slid shut. Ubuyashiki, his wife, and two children had left and the Pillars remained in the room.

It didn't take long for Tomioka to get up, making a move to leave. "Whoa, hold it," Shinazugawa said, eyes moving to the Water Pillar. "Don't leave just yet, man. We oughta make future plans now, am I right?"

"Then you all can talk about it," the Water Pillar said simply as he stood. "It's got nothing to do with me."

"What do you mean 'nothing'" Iguro hissed, his eyes narrowed as his snake's tongue flickered. "You don't understand your position as a Pillar here. Or what? You planning on getting a head start on training without us?"

Tomioka didn't bother with an explanation, instead choosing to start to walk out of the room. Musashi remained silent as Shinazugawa and Kocho both made an attempt to get the other Pillar to stop.

"I'm not like you guys," he finally said, which made Shinazugawa twitch before the Wind Pillar was on his feet, teeth bared.

"Wow, you're pissing me off…" the white-haired man growled. "You said the same thing before, Tomioka. Are you making fun of us?" Tomioka simply ignored Shinazugawa, turning to walk out of the room.

"Hold it, fuckwad!"

"The only fuckwad here is you, Shinazugawa," Musashi said flatly and the man whirled around, growling.

"L-Lets not fight—" Kanroji started in an attempt to calm the situation down but was cut off as Musashi rattled the blade at her side.

"You want to fight me again, Shinazugawa?" she taunted and the Wind Pillar grit his teeth, lunging at Musashi. He didn't get far as a sudden explosion of energy that could be physically felt sent him sprawling back. All heads turned to Musashi, a violet aura seeming to radiate around her before vanishing as she let go of her sword.

"Tomioka, sit back down, please. Let's talk a bit more about this. The Master's orders are the master's orders," she said calmly.

Himejima and Kyojuro both nodded in agreement as Tomioka and Shinazugawa sat back down, both seemingly stupefied at the one-eyed woman's display of power.

"Now, I have a proposition…" the Stone Pillar started and the second half of the emergency Pillar meeting began.

(x)

"Musashi, Gyoumei," Ubuyashiki's voice was soft as the nine Pillars stood to leave and prepare for the mass training session that was planned. Ubuyashiki and his wife had both rejoined them out of curiosity part way through the planning session— which had ended up with a lot of yelling as Tomioka still refused to join them in the Pillar Training.

Musashi herself wasn't exactly keen on training others, but the group agreed that she and Himejima were both going to hold sessions that were not mandatory at the end of the training. Himejima would handle raw strength while Musashi would simply be a final boss so to speak— if she felt like those who challenged her were fit to go, they would be free to go.

There would be another section of training that Musashi would be overseeing as well, one that was far more important to them then Musashi's "final test"— And one that Shuten Dōjii would be holding. Poison resistance.

Of course, with the information of another Demon joining the Slayers in an alliance, Shiazugawa practically exploded in protest. The others were quite against Shuten Dōjii working with them, but when not only Musashi vouched for her, but Kyojuro and Himejima, the Wind Pillar and the others all backed down. There were no false promises that Shuten Dōjii wouldn't eat or had never eaten humans— everyone knew the story about the Demon of Mt. Ōe— but the fact that Shuten hated Muzan as well? It was enough.

Ubuyashiki seemed happy enough at the final decision of the training set up— the Pillars had all agreed to pull the former Sound, Water, and Flame Pillars in if they accepted, though knowing Uzui, the one-armed man would be rearing to help. The former Lighting Pillar was suggested, but it had turned that down. No one could contact him as if late, and because of that Kanroji suggested that maybe the elderly man had his hands full with dealing with his own affairs.

That said, Musashi hadn't been expecting the Master to still need the two of them, both Pillars stopping upon hearing their names and glancing over to the Master. Kyojuro stopped as well, standing by the door with a quizzical look on his face.

"If I could speak to you two for a moment, please?"

Musashi and Kyojuro glanced at each other before the Flame Pillar nodded.

"I'll head back and help Senjirou with dinner!" he said before he turned, leaving and closing the door behind him. As he left, Musashi and Himejima both turned to the black-haired man.

"What is it that you need from us, Oyakata-sama?" Himejima asked as the two sat down again. The master smiled gently.

"I have something to ask of you two, and I pray that you forgive me for my selfishness."

He took a breath. "Soon, very soon, Muzan will arrive," he started and Musashi and Himejima both tensed. "Despite everything you've done for me, Musashi, my body is still weak. I cannot offer a blade to help you, and it does not sit well with me to wait behind protection while my children are out there fighting for their lives."

The raven-haired man placed a hand on his chest, smile still gentle. "The others will not agree to this, so I must ask you two to do this for me… please, use my body as a decoy and take the opportunity to take his head."

There was silence as the two Pillars took his words in, Amane sitting silently beside her husband.

"Why do you think that?" Himejima asked after a second and Ubuyashiki smiled.

"Just instinct," he admitted. Musashi glanced at the taller man sitting beside her as tears started to drip down his cheeks. She turned back to Ubuyashiki. "How do you plan on creating that opening, if I may ask," she questioned, brows furrowed. "I know you must have a plan."

He nodded. "This estate will be rigged with explosives. Muzan will not be expecting a suicide. What happens afterward is up to you."

"Both Oyakata-sama and I have agreed to this. Muzan expects him to be unable to move and needing an attendant at his side," Amane spoke up before stopping as Musashi raised a hand.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I thought I was being called on to get Okayata-sama out of the blast the second before it went off."

There was silence and she blinked.

Amane and Ubuyashiki glanced at each other, a silent conversation going on between them before turning back to the two pillars.

"Can you?" Amane asked and she nodded.

"I can," she said, "But to do that, Lady Amane and I need to switch places. I'm assuming you plan on sending Kiriya to a safe location? It would be best if everyone but Oyakata-sama in your family were there. The Rengoku estate comes to mind first— if not there, then they can at least guard where they would be moved… Tomioka's teacher as well and any other former pillars or slayers still alive. High chance that Muzan doesn't know what you look like, Lady Amane. I don't have everything worked out, but we at least look around the same age range."

She pursed her lips. "The less who know about this the better, though."

"Of course," Himejima agreed. "Then I will be the one to take Muzan's head."

"Fucking go for it, you funky Stone Pillar."

Himejima just sighed. The man was used to her the strange terms she pulled out of nowhere at times, though Ubuyashiki seemed amused.

"On that note, I'm going to have to back down from training the other Slayers," she added, "As we decided before, I was just going to be the final fight to see if the other Slayers were even ready, but…" she paused, "I want to take time to plan everything to the last detail. I can still help oversee Shuten, however."

Himejima nodded silently. "Alright," he said and the two of them moved to stand.

"Be safe, my children," Ubuyashiki told them as they left. Musashi glanced back and gave the blind man and his wife a slight grin.

Hopefully, everything would work out in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking a big liberty with the Mana Burst thing, but I hope you forgive me for that


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just binged the Hobbit Movies because I had an urge to watch a Hugo Weaving movie, so I've been thinking about another crossover. Anyways, classes for me start tomorrow, and with other schools also starting, please stay safe, everyone.

A special training session began amongst the entirety of the Demon Slayer Corps— Pillar Training. Those who ranked lower than the Pillars trained with each of them, one by one or in groups depending on the Pillar.

Usually, the Pillars would only train their successors— if they had any— and no one else due to how busy they were. Between Musashi constantly moving around to gather information and take on missions, along with the other Pillars protecting and patrolling their assigned regions and also doing their own missions, the Pillars would normally be quite busy.

But ever since Nezuko conquered the sun, the demons suddenly stopped appearing in larger numbers. This left the Pillars with Night Patrols and Day Training as their only focus— well, for the most part.

It was certainly a lull— Shuten mused it was a simple 'Calm Before the Storm' and Musashi and Kyojuro both had to agree with her.

The Pillar Training, from what Musashi could hear, was a bit hellish. While neither Shinjuro, nor Urokadaki had taken up the request (always a request, Ubuyashiki rarely ordered Slayers who had retired) to assist in the training, Uzui had jumped at the chance with his wives.

So, between the available Pillars, Uzui, and Shuten, the group of them had a decent setup for putting the other Slayers through the wringer.

In trial one, Uzui handled the initial hazing of the other Slayers— the basic stamina training. Kanroji was next with training in flexibility while Tokito dealt with quick movements and reaction training. Following those three were Iguro with his focus on sword skill revision, Shinazugawa with a general beat down, Kyojuro with refining and reviewing the basic breathing techniques. Following that were Shuten and Musashi with Poison resistance. Himejima's training would be last with muscle reinforcement. While every Slayer had to at least try the Rock Pillar's training, they had no need to stay with it if they did not desire to.

Neither Kocho nor Tomioka were planning to participate in the Training of the other Slayers.

It was a shame, but there was little the others could do about it. Kocho simply said that she was unable to do so and Tomioka kept his stance in that he wasn't like the rest of them.

So, the rest of the Pillars upped their normal intensity with their own Training. They made sure that the rest of the Slayers were in top shape and by doing so, they also trained themselves.

Musashi stretched as she leaned against a large boulder. She and Shuten were stationed in the forest not far from the Rengoku Estate (as the three Rengoku men were using the estate for Kyojuro's training) for Shuten's portion of the training.

Of course, the first Slayers who had arrived had been more than apprehensive to Shuten, but wisely shut up after Musashi beat them into the dirt. Musashi herself had taken a full dose of one of Shuten's poisons, slowly testing and resisting the effects and well, the other Slayers learned very quickly that even when poisoned, the Pillars were insanely strong.

And fighting while poisoned wasn't easy.

Fighting Musashi while poisoned when Shuten was nearby intoxicating people with her mere presence was another story entirely.

Of course, there had only been a few who managed to get to Kyojuro's trial, so Musashi only had to beat down a few Slayers who were sent her way. She was the one who had the final say if the Slayer could move on to Himejima or if they had to go and start all over again.

Shaking her head, the duel wielding swordswoman watched as the few Slayers who managed to get to her and Shuten struggled to combat the poison-induced fever.

She shouldn't have been too surprised, though. Even among the Pillars, only three of them had managed to reach a full dose— Iguro, Himejima, and herself. Shinazugawa and Kocho were almost there, but Shuten had suddenly stopped and barred Kocho from continuing.

The Oni didn't say why and Musashi didn't ask.

Shinazugawa stubbornly continued.

That said, with the lack of Slayers to supervise and beat down, both Musashi and Shuten found that they had an overabundance of free time on their hands.

For Shuten, that meant taking off to, what Musashi suspected, bother Himejima. For Musashi, that meant planning.

So far, she had ran countless scenarios through her head.

Her priority was to keep Ubuyashiki alive in the first stage of the attack. Amane had already given her a kimono that fit, along with a haori to conceal some of her blades.

She had arranged with Himejima and Uzui to secure a place for the Master and her to land. Of course, there was the fact that Musashi wasn't planning to go into battle wearing one of Amane's kimonos, but she also wasn't willing to simply toss it to the wind. She planned to wear her normal attire under it, nonetheless, but details still needed to be worked out.

Then there was the fact that Muzan was unlikely to show up on his own.

If she did her math right, the Demon Moons were smaller in number— Akaza, Hantengu, Gyokko, and the two demons who made up Upper Moon Six (Gyutaro and Daki, if she remembered what Uzui had told her correctly) were all dead. That left only two Upper Moons. At least.

From what Musashi gathered, the Lower Moons had been dispatched— Enmu had been killed by her hand, and Rui by Tomioka, the others were most-likely killed by their creator's hands.

"Well, two Upper Moons wouldn't be too hard," Musashi murmured as she brushed her bangs back. She glanced over to one of the Slayers who had hauled herself to her feet, panting and loosely gripping her sword.

That was impressive.

She smiled before she moved from her leaning position, walking up to the girl with a hum.

"Very impressive," she said before a light tap to the forehead made her collapse again. "But, you're still too weak to stand. If I were a demon, you'd be dead! You just came from Rengoku's trial, use those skills you gained then to combat the poison that a high tier Demon gave you!"

"R-Right!" the girl panted, eyes focusing and Musashi smiled.

That was the main reason that Kyojuro's training was before her's. Combating certain poisons was similar in nature and breathing style to stopping the bleeding of a wound. While it was impossible to heal, it would control the spread until the body dealt with the poison on its own— or until an antidote was given. And if the Slayers could withstand a few drops of Shuten's poisons… well, Musashi highly doubted that any other poisons would ever affect them. But that was _if_ Muzan didn't have a stronger poison.

Musashi looked up as she heard the trees rustle. It was only a moment before Shuten landed, her arrival startling the struggling Slayers. The Oni only smirked at them before she poked Musashi's eyepatch.

"Still struggling, it seems~?" she hummed and Musashi nodded.

"One of them, the girl with the ponytail, managed to stand up. That's about it though. I'm gonna have to send them back," Musashi sighed, shaking her head and Shuten laughed.

"Fufu, such a pity," she said, taking a drink from one of her gourds. "Did you figure out that problem of yours?" she asked, her lips curling up more as the one-eyed woman grimaced.

"Not quite, I think in the end I just won't tell him," Musashi said with a sigh. Shuten nodded.

"Whatever you choose," she said with a hum before she stood. "Well you seem to have everything covered here~" "Going off to go bother Himejima again? Weren't you just there?" she asked and the Oni laughed.

"Perhaps."

(x)

Featherlight touches on his shoulder were the only indication that she had decided to show up again. That was before the scent of Alcohol assaulted his senses.

Gyoumei sighed internally as short cut hair tickled his cheek.

"Working hard," Shuten's voice crooned next to his ear, "Or hardly working~?"

"Shuten Dōji." he greeted, not stopping his work as he continued to push the large boulder with his bare hands. The Oni hummed and he shivered involuntarily as she traced her nails against his arm. There was silence between them as she held herself with surprising strength against his back, not seeming bothered with the awkward slant or the constant movement.

"Ignoring me? That's alright," she said after a moment, the scent of alcohol wafting over the two, singling that the Oni had decided to drink while she bothered him.

None of the other Slayers had gotten to his training as of yet, apparently, Shuten's task was more strenuous than they had initially thought, but it was imperative that poison resistance was built up. Gyoumei sighed internally as he continued to push the boulder.

Shuten Dōji was… Well, he wouldn't be lying if he said he was wary of her— despite him vouching for her against Shinazugawa. She would be helpful to have on their side— and as long as Musashi kept her reigned in and as long as Shuten had her fill of drink and hatred of Muzan… hopefully, she would stay an ally so long that she and the Demon Slayers had a common enemy.

What would happen afterward… well that was anyone's guess. If worse came down to it, Musashi had stated that she could take on the Oni if needed to… though she would prefer not to. Gyoumei had felt and 'witnessed' the battles Musashi had fought when they had teamed up— he and all the other Slayers were under no illusions that Musashi was strong. Her battles were intense, and he would be hesitant to want to bear witness to a fight between the two.

The Pillar sighed silently, grimacing a bit as he felt teeth bite into his shoulder.

Shuten would still take blood— willingly or not from Slayers and it appeared that he and Shinazugawa were favored... victims.

"Must you do this now?" he asked and Shuten laughed, pulling away and lightly tapping his arms.

"Oh please," she said, "When _else_ am I supposed to get blood?"

"You could simply ask the Master for assistance in gaining donated blood," He suggested as the weight of the Oni left his back. Shuten lighted down, humming as he rightened himself, feeling his joints crack just a bit.

"Asking isn't as fun," she said, sighing and not for the first time did Gyoumei wonder what the hell she was talking about. "And at least I get away unscathed here. That Wind boy is such a drag."

Ah, so she had attempted blood from Shinazugawa… Well, it would only make sense that he would retaliate. And then knowing what he did about Shuten Dōji…

The blind man shook his head.

He only hoped that the tentative alliance between the Demon Slayers and the Oni Ruler of Mt. Ōe didn't crumble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Shuten and Gyoumei shenanigans because I could.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College is the true never-ending grind

The following days passed fairly quickly for Musashi, between supervising Shuten and strategizing with Himejima. The other Pillars were working hard, wiping the other Slayers into shape and also training amongst themselves. They had all thrown each other into one another's training grounds, Shuten watching and drinking all the while.

Of course, the training never lasted long before some sort of fight broke out and Uzui would happily show off his prowess at using a sword one-handed. He was quite skilled, but his ability had certainly dropped. No longer could he match Kyojuro blow-for-blow, but he still had the skills to make the fights worthwhile.

In other news, Tanjirou was back on his feet. Musashi herself hadn't seen the boy at her training as of yet, but she had heard things. So far, he had been through Uzui's, Tokito's, Kanroji's, Irguro's, and Shinazugawa's training and was currently at Kyojuro's. Nonetheless, he was advancing quite quickly— of course, his friends and almost every other Slayer was currently struggling to bypass herself and Shuten.

She had also heard that Tanjirou was no longer allowed to be near Shinazugawa after a fight had broken out— but that wasn't any of her business. Despite the fact that she had asked the boy about it. And was certainly not holding onto the fact that he got so riled by a boy that every single one of the other Slayers had to separate and hold them apart.

Nope, not at all.

And she certainly wasn't still amused by it and still snickering about it while said boy's laugher sounded in her ears.

The pale-haired woman stretched her back out as she sat on the _engawa_ of the Rengoku estate. Training had ended for the day and while Kyojuro had to patrol for Kanroji (the Love Pillar was too nauseous and fevered with Shuten's upped dosage of poison), Musashi did not.

In the other room, she hard Senjuro playing a game with Tanjirou, Zenitsu, Inosuke— the three boys and Nezuko were technically supposed to be Kyojuro's students, though with everything going on and what, it had been a bit more difficult to say that one or all the boys were his successors officially, but they did live with the family— and Tokito (a sort of "son" so to speak of Kyojuro's, and therefore Musashi's, not that she minded. The boy was already starting to call her 'Musa-Kansan' so all the more reason to adopt the kid when this final fight was over). Soft hums alerted her of Nezuko, the girl happily wandering over to Musashi and sitting next to her.

"Hello, Nezuko," she hummed and the girl beamed a bright, wide, and toothy grin. Musashi laughed a bit at it. The girl turned demon really was a sweet child. Musashi wondered how much of it was taken from her human self.

"Hel-lo," she said slowly, swinging her legs as she sat next to her. "Good… Night?"

"Yes, it certainly is a nice night out," she said in response, reaching over and patting Nezuko. The girl hummed happily, leaning into her touch like an affectionate cat.

"How are the boys?" she asked before a Shinjuro's roar of laughter could be heard— coupled with a startled screech from Zenitsu and laughing from the other boys. "Never mind. That answers it."

Nezuko hummed, bobbing her head a bit absently as the two lapsed into silence.

The sky was bright and the moon was quite beautiful if she did say so herself. Shuten had since left the property, though that was to be expected as she usually went out to either bother Himejima or wrestle more drinks from Ubuyashiki.

The only sounds around them were those of the bugs and the faint voices and laughter from the boys and Shinjuro inside.

Musashi hummed again, blinking as the girl shrunk down and crawled into her lap. She smiled, humming and moving her hands to her hair. She slowly worked out the few knots as Nezuko hummed, swinging her legs still as she fiddled with Musashi's yukata sleeves.

The older woman braided the girl's hair as she hummed, smiling when the child-sized demon looked up and beamed at her. Nezuko certainly was different than any other demon— she almost reminded her of Onui or Tasuke at times.

It was interesting.

"How long do you think we have?" she asked softly and the girl stopped her humming, blinking and looking up at her with a tilted head. Musashi smiled. "I'm just thinking aloud," she told the girl, patting her head.

A rustling of fabric made Musashi look up before Shuten dropped from above. The Oni had a self-satisfied look on her face as she held two jars of sake in hand.

"Good moonlight, darling," Shuten greeted as Nezuko perked. When the two first met, Nezuko had seemed to have been drawn to the elder being— and Shuten remarked that Nezuko, having cut the ties to Muzan, was more Oni than Demon. Of course, it could have just been the fact that without Muzan holding onto her, Nezuko's natural instincts to respect and revere an Oni had kicked in.

Musashi waved lazily as Nezuko hopped off of her lap, trotting to Shuten and reaching up. The younger demon pat the Oni with a hum and Shuten pat her cheek in return.

"Yes, yes," she said, walking back to the _engawa_ and sitting next to Musashi. "Another demon showed up at Kaguya's home."

"Oh?" Musashi asked as Nezuko climbed back into her lap. The oni nodded, pouring a dish of sake before handing it to Musashi. She took it as the Oni poured one for herself.

"Two, actually," she said after a moment. "A woman and a boy. Tamayo or something. Docile, and here to help, I suppose," Shuten hummed, drinking from her dish. Musashi nodded slowly, drinking as well.

"I don't remember him talking about another demon, but perhaps he knew one," she said simply. Shuten just nodded and the two fell into silence.

"So have you figured out what you're going to do?" she asked after a moment. Musashi hummed a bit.

"Sort of. Himejima and I have a sort of plan, but it's iffy at best. Hopefully, Muzan is as prideful as we suspect," she said with a sigh. Shuten scoffed.

"I'm sure he is. Prideful brat."

"Isn't he… older than you?"

Shuten shrugged. "Who knows. I hardly know when I was born, just what year my legend started picking up speed."

"Fair enough."

Musashi finished her dish and Shuten took it from her, both women turning as the front door slid open.

"I am here!" The Flame Pillar's voice called into the house. Choruses of 'hellos' came from the children from where they were playing, along with a gruff 'welcome back, brat' from Shinjuro. Musashi hummed, leaning back on her hands and turning to glance into the house, seeing a flash of red and orange.

"Welcome back, Kyojuro," Musashi called, "We're out back."

"OH!"

Footsteps sounded from inside before the Flame Pillar appeared from another room, grinning as usual.

"Hello, hello! I'm back!" he said happily as he sat down next to Musashi. Shuten waved lazily, humming as she drank more.

"Welcome back," Musashi hummed, "Guessing Mitsuri got back up on her feet?"

Kyojuro nodded, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "Yup, Mitsuri was able to get on her feet and take over the rest of the patrol," he said, nodding. Nezuko gave Kyojuro a toothy grin as well as Musashi leaned on him. The demon crawled into his lap and he pat her, humming.

"That's good," Musashi said, nodding as Shuten hummed a bit as well.

"Anything interesting out there?" she asked, raising a brow.

Kyojuro snorted, "Not by your standards!"

"Fufufu, I see… a shame, then." The Oni lamented, abandoning her sake dish in favor of just drinking from the jug. Kyojuro just shrugged.

"Maybe for you," he said simply. "But knowing what you find interesting, it's probably for the best for us!"

"Hm, you're probably right," she agreed, shrugging.

(x)

"That's it, Zenitsu! Use what Rnegoku taught you last time!"

The sound of wood against wood sounded in the clearing as Musashi parried the Thunder Breath user's sword. Armed with her newest weapon, a _Naginata_ , instead of her swords, she was finally facing the previously downed slayers. She had sent a group on ahead to Himejima already, as she had deemed them strong enough and well enough, but neither Zenitsu nor Tanjirou had been a part of that group. Inosuke has been, though. He had overcome the poisons quite quickly, interesting Shuten and making Musashi proud.

She stepped to the side to avoid a slash from the boy, spinning the pole-arm to block Tanjirou and another Slayer— a boy named Kinji, if she remembered correctly.

A few others were still struggling to stand, some still staring at Shuten in fear as the Oni drunk herself to oblivion.

Tanjirou lunged forwards, the energy around him crackling and Musashi raised a brow, preparing to block the attack. That certainly was new. Though, then again, Tokito and Uzui had told Kyojuro that his fighting style _had_ changed. No longer Water Breathing but Sun? Now that was interesting.

Musashi only grinned, meeting the boy head-on as their weapons clashed. Her movements were hardly as fast as she would like, but that was the price of taking Shuten's next strongest poison— even though she didn't have to. The Oni had warned her and the swordswoman had been prone and cursed her cockiness the next few days afterward— thankfully, Uzui had been happy enough to oversee both her and Kyojuro's training areas while the latter fussed over the former. Ubuyashiki's response?

Orders to rest up, and a lecture on how not to overexert herself via _Kasugaigarasu._

Just like a real father would, she had thought.

Thankfully, she was back to normal for the most part.

Musashi moved her head to the side as Zenitsu's blade was thrust much like a western-style rapier would be towards her head. She just grinned again. The boys were getting better, using their breathing to control and disperse the poison.

She dodged and blocked Zenitsu and Tanjirou before she knocked Kinji and another Slayer off their feet.

Tanjirou lunged at her again, determined to strike her with his _bokken_ , but to no avail as Musashi fend him off. To many of the Slayers, this was becoming far more difficult than they had expected— seeing Musashi standing there without two _bokken_ like they had expected her to have had made them think that it would be an easy fight. Instead, they learned that she was just as powerful with a pole-arm weapon.

Shuten had made a comment on how they expected the Pillars to be the strongest if they couldn't adapt to using other weapons.

Musashi then proceeded to kick their asses.

She dodged another strike from Zenitsu, knocking his legs out from under him before she ducked under a swing from another Slayer, eye flicking over to the bamboo that was rustling before she rolled out of the way of Tanjirou. Kyojuro stepped out into the clearing, watching with a smile on his face as per usual. A few of the other Slayers startled at his arrival, leaving them open to Musashi's attack as she knocked them over. Genya came out of nowhere suddenly, having been waiting on the edges of the clearing.

She had passed the boy already, but he insisted on staying back for another round of fighting.

He leaped forwards, slamming his foot down on the pole of the _naginata_ , startling Musashi. The blade lodged into the dirt below and she had a split second to dodge a fist thrown at her face by the young Shinazugawa. The boy was still planted on the weapon, keeping her from pulling it up, least she get hit in the face by him.

She let go and jumped back before she gazed at the Slayers in front of her.

She let out a breath, relaxing her posture. "Enough," she said, smiling. "I've held you here long enough. You're all very strong and I can tell you're improving. Though some of you might not have been able to get up and fight, your new resistance and control over your breathing should save you from most other poisons."

"So.. So that means we pass?" Tanjirou asked.

"Indeed, Young Kamado!" Kyojro spoke up from his spot at the edge of the clearing, startling several Slayers who hadn't realized he was there. "For those who cannot stand right now, rest and move onto Himejima's training tomorrow. Those who can, it would be best to test yourselves at Himejima's trial."

Musashi nodded in agreement. "Indeed, that would be the best in order to test your limits."

She clapped her hands. "Now, if you can move, please help your comrades who cannot."

There was some shuffling as the Slayers who could got to their feet and helped their comrades up. Kyojuro walked over to Musashi as the Slayers ambled out of the clearing, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"That was nice of you to do," he said and she hummed.

"Well, best let them think I was merciful and then face Gyoumei with determination rather than be disinherited because it took them so long to get past Shuten," she said simply.

Kyojuro just chuckled.

"Those poor souls won't know if they were better off staying with you or not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently working on a Hobbit/Fate fanfiction because I binged the movies two weeks ago


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My computer shut down when I was in the middle of editing this chapter

It was in the afternoon when she was met with a surprise.

Shuten Dōji would have never expected any of the Demon Slayers to come to her for advice to get stronger— she had been kicked out of Tamayo's lab a number of times already by that Butterfly Girl, so she knew that one didn't like her.

Musashi tolerated her, though she was rightfully wary. They got along alright, but in terms of advice on getting stronger, Musashi didn't need it from her— and that _darling_ Rock Pillar was mostly the same. That Wind boy was just horrible, and the darling girl with the braids seemed to be a bit scared of her. The one-armed, former Pillar didn't like her, but that was normal— he did like her a bit more when the two of them crossed _sake_ cups, but he didn't like it when she popped into his training grounds to torment the little Slayerlings who he made run.

That Snake boy was interesting, he seemed almost disturbed by the fact that he didn't mind her— she had teased him by ignoring him in favor of talking to his little familiar, who was just as disturbed at the strange kinship it seemed to feel.

The Water Pillar and the little Mist boy (the one that ended up around Musashi much more now) were mostly indifferent, but it was still fun to tease them. And of course, like Musashi, the Flame Pillar tolerated her.

That said, Musashi and Himejima were plenty strong without needing help from an Oni.

So, as stated before, she hadn't expected anyone of the Demon Slayers Corps to come to her for help on getting stronger— Voluntarily, that was.

And even if any of them _did_ , she would have never expected one of the Pillars.

Ah, but then again, love was such a strong incentive for a human to do something.

Resting her chin on her palm, she gazed at the man sitting in front of her through half-lidded eyes.

"And what, exactly, is in this for me, mm?" she asked, raising a brow.

The Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku. A relatively normal man, if one were to take away the fact that he hunted Demons for a living. Appearance-wise, though, he did draw a lot of attention to himself— his golden mane of hair made him stand out in Japan, but Musashi was hardly different with her pale locks and blue eyes.

Shuten should've known that, if any of them were going to come to her for help, it would have been the Flame Pillar.

Love was something that always interested her— She had no idea what exactly it was in human terms. For her, 'love' was breaking bones, wild laughter, and killing in another's name. It was taking the heads of enemies and presenting them to their object of affections.

It was blood and drink, and scars made by clawed nails and sharp teeth. It was laughing and howling as hands tore through skin, muscle, and broke through bone. It was cooing and soothing with honeyed words as hands dug into one's organs.

Shuten didn't know human love, though she pretended to at times.

Emulating it in order to figure out what made humans, human.

She held herself back when interacting with the Demon Slayers.

Shuten wouldn't say she loved humans. She wouldn't say she hated them either.

So, as she sat with Kyojuro Rengoku sitting in front of her with a determined look on his face, she hesitated to turn him down outright for the task he requested of her.

"I don't have anything to give you," Kyojuro said. "Not now. I could offer you drink, but I don't think that anything we have here could compare to the stuff that Oyakata-sama gets from Tengen. Offering you Muzan's head would be pointless as well."

Shuten sighed, shaking her head. "So in short, you're asking for a free favor, for something that I might not even be able to do," she said flatly, leaning back a bit and pouring _sake_ into her usual dish. Kyojuro's brows were furrowed, a strange look of seriousness adorning his normally smiling face. She just sighed again.

"I have… two options," she said, "Since I like you enough, and since your Master is allowing me to take Muzan's head eventually, I will do this one thing for you."

The Flame Pillar instantly perked but Shuten held a finger up as she took a long drink. He blinked but waited until she was done.

Lowering the dish, she hummed. "Like I said, two options that are before you. You want to protect and fight alongside Musashi, you're going to have to sacrifice," she said, her smile never leaving her lips. Kyojuro nodded, following her words as she leaned her elbow on the low table.

"First," she started, "You can become an Oni."

The Flame Pillar tensed, eyes narrowing and his hand went to his sword on instinct. His mouth opened as a furious glint shown in his two-toned eyes.

"Oni, _not_ a demon," she said before he could speak, "There is a difference, and it is only one, albeit the most secure, option."

"I was under the impression that Oni didn't turn humans into their own kind," Kyojuro said and Shuten snorted.

"Not in the primitive way that Demons do," she said flatly. "While blood and pain is involved, I can assure you, my blood is not parasitic. You won't thirst for the flesh and blood of humans, though it is a wonderful delicacy— it's all about nutrients, after all."

At that, Kyojuro tilted his head. "'nutrients'? What do you mean?" he asked and she sighed.

"Why do you think Demons eat humans?" she asked and the man hummed, arms crossed as he leaned back in thought.

He shook his head after a moment. "I don't know."

"It's just like any other animal," she said, "Humans are just another animal to Demons. Like how humanity eats chickens and cows, demons eat humans. A Demon's Blood Arts, an Oni's Oni Arts and Dark Magics, all of it requires a high level of energy to use and maintain. But Oni can control our hunger. In fact, most Oni reside in the underworld— the ones who appeared in the human world were turned by means of their own. Oni are born when truly wicked humans die and end up in one of the many Buddhist Hells, there they are transformed into Oni and serve Lord Enma."

She smiled, tapping her nails on the table. "Of course, those who are among the living are different. I serve no one but myself. I was born human— or at least, half-human. My mother was a human woman, a cannibal, in fact, and I am aware the irony exists. My father, as you are surely aware since you know about my story, was the great Dragon God, Yamata-no-Oorochi."

At Kyojuro's nod, she continued.

"I was supernaturally strong as a child and abnormally intelligent. Because of this, and the fact that I was a girl, I was called a demon child over and over. I was terribly resentful and anti-social because of it, and my own mother abandoned me as a child— perhaps this is why I like Musashi so much, mm? She was also abandoned, but by her father," she mused, before waving it off. "Under the guise of a young boy, I apprenticed under a priest at Mt. Hiei."

"I didn't realize you were a human," Kyojuro said as Shuten poured herself another drink. She hummed, shrugging.

"My beginnings are mostly shuffled to the side now since Muzan buried all of the accomplishments of Oni and other dark mystics to the side. Honestly, he could've made a decent Mystic himself— had he not upset the hierarchy. I'm not sure when exactly he was born and created, but Oni existed before he did. I only knew that one day, he was on the tongues of every Dark Mystic— who was he? How had a human become something we had not seen before? Indeed, I was just newly an Oni, but still powerful and knowledgeable," she hummed, tapping her fingers yet again. "Fufufu… still, it seems as if it wasn't enough…" she mused, shaking her head. "Nonetheless, we got off-topic."

She leaned forwards, gazing at Kyojuro with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I can help you become an Oni, but once that happens, there's no telling how much your moral compass will get warped."

She dragged a nail across the wood. "You could end up deciding that Muzan's not worth your time. You could decide that Musashi's better off dead."

The Pillar's eyes hardened at that. "No. No turning me into an Oni," he hissed and Shuten laughed.

"Of course, of course," she said, not at all afraid or intimidated. "Then option two it is."

She hummed, reaching up before she plunged her hand into her chest— prompting a startled cry from the Flame Pillar. "Oh, hush," she scolded as she grasped what she was looking for, pulling it from the magical space that it had created within her body when she first arrived. The object was set on the table with a dull 'thunk' when she was done, the gold shining dully in the sun.

A Holy Grail.

It wasn't _the_ Holy Grail— don't be silly. It was hardly large enough to be considered as such— but to her, it didn't matter. She didn't care about a wish-granting device. If she wanted something, she'd take it. Relying on whatever this was would only bring a downfall— All this was, to her, was another cup to drink _sake_ from.

"What is that?" Kyojuro asked and Shuten hummed.

"A Holy Grail," she said simply, "I'm sure Musashi's told you enough about it already, so I won't bother. In short, I could probably use this to let you gain some sort of Servant-Like ability."

"But why would you?"

"Hm?" She blinked, tilting her head at the Flame Pillar as the sun started to sink behind the trees. They had been talking for a while, it seemed.

"Why would you use that for someone else?" he asked again, "It's an Omnipotent Wish Granter, why not use it for yourself?"

Shuten laughed, leaning on her hand again. "I'm particular about my _sekitsushi_ , and a good vessel makes alcohol even tastier… Besides, I didn't say I _wasn't,_ going to use it, _"_ she told him, "It's not like this thing is a one time use. It's not so fragile that I wouldn't be able to use it." She ran her finger on the edge of the Chalice, humming. "Musashi became the way she was because she ate food that had been in the Grail. While she could be an abnormality, the same could happen to you…"

She reached over, picking up a jar os _sake_ and pouring some into the magical chalice. "But I can't guarantee that it will work."

Kyojuro gazed at the Grail, eyes calculating as Shuten pushed it across the table towards him.

"It's your choice," she said, "I can tell you though, just from observation of Musashi's energy, she's been keeping a portion of it under wraps. I've talked to your Master about it already, but if this Final Battle is going to press everyone to their limits…."

"There's a chance she could start warping to other dimensions again?" Kyojuro finished and Shuten nodded.

"I don't pretend to know or understand all that stuff, I don't really care," she hummed, "But Musashi is a walking, mobile Singularity point. In short, she doesn't exist. As soon as she exits this world, she will cease to exist here."

The Flame Pillar frowned, drumming his fingers on the table for a bit. "For someone who doesn't care, you certainly know a lot."

Shuten only snorted again, shrugging. "Think what you will, darling," she said, lounging back, "I'd hurry up and make that choice, though, if I were you. But, then again, _I'm_ not the one with a significant other who will vanish as soon as she decides to push to the final point of Zero again."

At the mention of Musashi, Kyojuro's eyes hardened again and he gazed at the Holy Grail in front of him.

Shuten's lips curled upwards into a smirk when the man reached for it, sniffing the drink inside before bringing it to his lips.

"That's a good boy," Shuten hummed, "Make sure you drink eeeevery last drop, alright~?"

The glare he shot her at her teasing tone was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuten is pretty fun to write, all things considered.
> 
> For those of you who don't know and who do enjoy the Hobbit/LotR, I have another fanfic out with Li Shuwen as the chosen fate victim.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of work that had to get done and literally forgot what day it was, so apologies for this being late.

It was several days after Musashi had let Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and the others the two boys were with move on to Himejima's training when a message arrived.

It was from Ubuyashiki.

She had been training by herself with her _naginata_ in the clearing, her own training with Shuten having been terminated for the most part. The Slayers who had yet to get past Shinazugawa and Iguro would simply not be able to withstand Shuten's poisons. The Master's crow landed on a rock nearby, waiting for Musashi to finish her _katas_ or for her to notice it. It didn't take long though, as she lowered the pole-arm and turned to the crow.

"Hello," she greeted and the bird bobbed its head.

"Afternoon, Void Pillar Musashi," the bird said simply, "Oyakata-sama has a message for you. 'Tonight'. That is all."

Musashi was silent before she nodded. "I see. Thank you. Return to him and tell him that I understand."

The crow bobbed its head again before taking off in a flurry of feathers. Musashi watched it leave, gazing up at the sky as it vanished out of sight.

So Ubuyashiki believed that Muzan would arrive tonight?

If she recalled correctly, She, Tanjirou, and Kyojuro were supposed to be going out for dinner with Senjuro. Inosuke had decided to continue bugging Himejima and Genya while Zenitsu… Zenitsu had changed. She didn't pry, but the air of vengeance had settled around him and it wasn't exctly a good thing.

The former Water Pillar, Urokodaki Sakonji, had arrived briefly. The man had exchanged words with Shinjuro and Kyojuro, along with Tanjirou and herself before he had whisked Nezuko away for safe-keeping.

Sighing, Musashi started back towards the Rengoku estate, stopping when she saw Shinjuro standing on the _engawa_ , waiting for her. A look said it all.

"So tonight," he said slowly and she nodded.

"Make sure the family is safe. Tengen will get Oyakata-sama to you, but until then, it will just be you and Senjurou protecting the family," she said calmly. Shinjuro nodded in understanding.

That was all she needed, turning and walking back to the clearing to continue training for a bit longer.

(x)

The excuse she had made had been horrible, claiming she had left something at the Ubuyashiki Estate and that the two could go on ahead without her.

She would join them eventually.

Of course, it was a lie, and Kyojuro had given her a look, but he didn't call her out on it as he shrugged and led Tanjirou to go and meet his brother.

She was grateful, and as soon as she arrived at the Estate one of Amane's handmaids had pressed a kimono into her arms. It would fit over her simple battle attire, especially now that she had returned to what she had been wearing when she first started her travels— simple and close fitting, easy to move in. The Kimono had been made to be torn off and to hide two of her swords if she strapped them to her back. A haori would cover one more.

Musashi undid her hair and pulled her eyepatch off, tucking both the hair ornament and eyepatch into the sleeve as she finished getting ready.

Himejima walked into the room, silent as usual and she glanced over.

"You have the swords you plan on using first?" he asked and she nodded, humming a bit.

" _Myoujingiri_ and my designated Flame Blade. And my Earth one as backup," she said, handing the other two to the older Pillar. He took them without a word, vanishing further into the Estate as Musashi allowed the handmaiden to make last minute changes to make her look a bit more like Amane.

Uzui poked his head in a moment later. "Amane and the Kids are being moved as we speak and I have the antidote from Dōji," he reported, "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she said as the Handmaiden hurried out. She was a brave girl, willing to be here at the last moment in order to help Musashi. Musashi hoped the girl survived— and that she got a raise or something out of this.

The former Sound Pillar simply nodded. "I don't know what your plan is in it's entirety, but I'll be where you told me to be, I only hope I don't go deaf."

She chuckled a bit as she stood. "You and me both," she said as she turned, "Good luck, Tengen. Gyoumei has my other two swords to give you. If I fail, take them. I would ask for you to make sure Kyojuro makes it out alive but…"

"I understand," the one armed man said, nodding with a serious look on his face. "Good luck."

She gave him a slight grin before she headed out of the room towards where Ubuyashiki was supposed to be resting. The blind man turned towards her when she entered. For appearance's sake, the man was wrapped in bandages coated with medicine strong enough to hopefully hide the fact that the man was _not_ rotting away.

"How are you faring?" the man asked her softly as she moved to sit at his side.

"As well as I can be," she admitted.

"I apologize," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. "I know you disliked keeping your _fiancee_ from this."

She blushed a bit, but nodded. "Ah _,_ we're not… that, _yet_. But I can only imagine the scolding I'm going to get," she said dryly and he chuckled a bit.

"Why not? Surely now more than ever! That boy, making my daughter wait," the Master huffed, though his smile remained and it was in jest. His expression grew a bit more serious a moment after.

"Still, I am sorry," he continued, "If there was another way to do this, then I would have taken it."

"I trust your judgement," she said, "So there is no need to apologize… you took what Shuten gave to you?" she asked and he nodded.

"Indeed. For a while, it will seem as if the curse never left. In all truth, it is quite uncomfortable," he admitted, "I had forgotten."

The man smiled slightly before they lapsed into silence, Musashi gazing out at the empty garden at the sky.

She had only glanced back down to Ubuyashiki for a moment before the sound of footsteps reached her ears.

Dressed in a fine and probably expensive suit and tie, with a dark coat over his shoulders, a devilish smirk, and red, slit-pupil eyes stood Kibutsuji Muzan.

Ubuyashiki turned his head towards the door leading out to _engawa_ as Musashi gazed at Muzan, face blank. "So you're here…" Ubuyashiki said softly. "Nice to meet you, Kibutsuji Muzan…"

The Prognator of Demons only widened his smirk.

"My, my," he said, "You sure look horrible, Ubuyashiki."

Ubuyashiki was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "You finally came to my home… right in front of me… Kibutsuji Muzan…" he said and Musashi had to mentally applaud his acting. His voice no longer held the strength and power behind it that had come with the release of the curse. Instead, Ubuyashiki was forcing his voice to be shaky, soft, and weak.

"The Demon… my family— the Demon Slayers— have been chasing around… for a thousand years…" the Master continued. "Amane… what form… what shape does this man have?" he asked and Musashi closed her eyes for a moment before looking at Muzan again, eyes guarded.

"He looks like a man in his late twenties," she said calmly, biting back a sarcastic comment. "But his eyes are plum red and his pupils are vertical, like a cat or a snake."

Ubuyashiki nodded slightly. "Ah… Okay…" he murmured, turning back towards Muzan's direction. "I thought you'd come… for sure… I'm sure you're extremely mad at me, at the Ubuyashiki Family… but that's also why… I was the only one… who thought you'd come to kill me… yourself…"

Muzan's smirk fell and he adopted a more neutral look. "I am truly disappointed, Ubuyashiki," he said, stepping up to the edge of the _engawa_ but never stepping foot on it. "I've lived a thousand years without showing signs of aging and the old family who has gotten in my way all this time is now reduced to this."

He shook his head. "Repulsive. Utterly repulsive. All that medicine you have and all it can do is cover the scent of rotting flesh," the Demon sneered. Ubuyashiki shifted, shakily moving to prop himself up. The pain that the man displayed in the action was real as Shuten's poison flared in his body. "I figured as much," Ubuyashiki started, "I was told… by the doctors half a year ago… that I was going to die in a few days…" he trailed off as blood dripped from his lips. "Yet here I am… still alive… and the doctors… were at a loss for words."

Musashi shifted, resting one hand on the Master's back and the other on his chest to steady him, and to also keep a secure grip on him. She steadied her own breathing, gripping the back of the man's haori tightly as he spoke— telling Muzan of their intertwined bloodline and the curse that followed suit.

Her eyes remained blank as Muzan argued back that the heavens were not punishing him at all and she had to bite back a scoff as Ubuyashiki coughed.

"Muzan, what is your dream?" the master asked after a second, stunning the Demon into confused silence.

"It's been thousands of years… what kind of dreams… do you have exactly…?" Ubuyashiki continued. Muzan seemed to think about it, glancing around in silence before it was broken again by the Master of the Slayers Corps.

"How about I make a guess, Muzan," he said, "I understand your heart and soul. You dream of eternity, you dream of being indestructable…"

"… Exactly," Muzan said, gaze level, "And it will come true very soon. Once I get my hands on Nezuko."

"Your dream won't come true, Muzan," Ubuyashiki refuted and the man raised a brow.

"You seem pretty confident in Nezuko's hiding place. But unlike you, I have a lot of time on my hands."

Ubuyashiki tilted his head slightly. "You are misunderstanding something," he said.

"What?"

"I know something… about eternity," he sad in response to the Demon, "It is nothing but human thoughts. Thoughts last for eternity. They are indestructible."

"This is foolish," Muzan growled. "You're talking utter nonsense."

"The Demon Slayers have never died out for a thousand years," Ubuyashiki said, simply continuing on as if the Demon hadn't spoken. "True, many children have died, but they haven't disappeared at all. You just said… the truth is foolish. Let me prove to you that human thoughts are indestructible."

"The thought of _never forgiving those who have taken the lives of people's loved ones away senselessly_ is eternal," he contined, "And you have never been forgiven. Not even once in the last thousand years. And you, Muzan, have stepped on the tiger's tail countless times. So you are incurring the wrath of the Dragon."

"In essence, you have basically awoken a sleeping creature that has been slumbering for a long time… and they absolutely despise you. They will never let you get away."

Ubuyashiki's lips twitched upwards into a smile. "If you kill me, the Demon Slayers won't feel pain or even an itch," he said, "They honestly don't need me that much."

Musashi forced herself not to raise a brow. That sure as hell was a lie, she knew. And she knew that he knew it too. The Pillars all gazed to him as a second— or first in her and Shinazugawa's cases— father.

"Zip it," Muzan snarled, suddenly before her and Ubuyashiki. She gazed up at him without a trace of fear or any emotion for that matter. Ubuyashiki simply smiled.

"Yeah, I'm done," he said, "I've said what I wanted to say to you," he added, gazing up at the man as Musashi tightened her grip on his robe. It was almost time.

She could hear her blood pounding in her ears as she kept a calm face.

She only had one chance at this and only had a window of opportunity that was a few seconds long.

Her grip tightened even more as Muzan reached down towards them.

"Are you done talking?" he hissed.

"Yes," Ubuyashiki said, "Though I didn't expect you to actually listen to me. Thank you… Muzan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have much to add. Ubuyashiki's a badass. 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ubukashiki has a 'no u' Uno Card

It was a soft shift in the air— so slight that even a Demon would have missed it if they hadn't been looking for it— that was the signal for Musashi.

Faster than she had even thought that she could move— fueled by adrenaline and desperation to succeed she supposed— she grabbed Ubuyashiki and hauled the man into her arms. She saw Muzan's eyebrow raise and a sneer cross his face.

The second afterward, the ground erupted underfoot.

She bit back a sharp gasp of pain as she used the blast to leap out of Muzan's line of sight, using a form of _**Mana Burst**_ to carry herself and Ubuyashiki out of the blast. The man must have heard her breath hitch.

"Musashi—" the man started but she shushed him.

"I'm fine!" she gasped, feeling the heat of the flames as they began to lick the sky. She gazed around, wincing again as she noticed that there was nowhere safe to land. She didn't have a choice, though, landing among the flames before she leaped up again to avoid getting burned.

A flash of violet and she glanced back, seeing Tamayo sprint past, nodding to her before her _**Flesh Seed**_ scattered around the remains of the Estate and the fire. She turned back, spotting Uzui amongst the trees, holding her other two swords in his hands. His face was pale, despite being told what was going to happen beforehand, though color stared to slowly return as Musashi landed not far from him. She sprinted the last stretch up to him, still holding the Master and ignoring the flames that had been lit on the edges of the kimono.

The trade was quick. Ubuyashiki for the swords and Musashi quickly tore the burning Kimono and Haori off, pulling her eyepatch back on and her hair back out of her face. Uzui quickly administered the antidote to Ubuyashiki as Musashi strapped her swords into place.

She turned, preparing to join Himejima and Tamayo in battle against Muzan.

"Wait, Musashi—" Ubuyashiki spoke up suddenly and she paused, glancing back. The man was being held in Uzui's remaining arm, the former Sound Pillar glancing at the Master in confusion.

"Be safe. Come back with everyone," he said softly and Musashi only grinned a bit in return.

"I'll do my best," she promised before startling a bit as roars and screams from the other Pillars sounded.

The most notable being the roar of pain and rage from Kyojuro, the man having feared he had lost _her_ to the explosion as well— along with Tanjirou's own scream of rage.

She winced a bit, feeling her heart clench.

"Go," Uzui said softly and she didn't need to be told twice. She took off, reaching Himejima in a few short bounds before vaulting over him. The other Pillars and Slayers were quick at schooling their shock at her appearance, continuing to move forwards in attack.

Only to gasp as doors appeared and opened up under them all.

"You seriously thought you could corner me?" Muzan snarled, eyes wilded. "You're all going to hell now! You pathetic Demon Slayer Pests! I'm slaughtering you all tonight!"

His laughter and taunts followed them as they all plummeted down into the darkness.

"MUZAN!" Musashi yelled, reaching out to grasp the edge of the door, but missing just by a hair before she plummeted downwards with Himejima and Tokito.

She landed in a roll, snarling. She didn't wait for Tokito and Himejima to regain their bearings, taking off down the hall ahead of them and tearing apart demons who crossed her path in flashes of violet, blue, green, red, and gold.

It didn't take long for the other two Pillars to catch up with her, killing off any that she managed to miss as the haze of red rage started to lift from her gaze.

"There are a lot of demons, here," Tokito observed as they ran through the halls of whatever this fortress was. It was definitely a type of Demon Art, but it wasn't one that she had ever seen before..

"He's planning on wearing us down," She admitted to him, gritting her teeth. "And to be honest, if I don't control my anger, he will be."

"Anger?"

"I'm pissed he got the drop on us, and I recognize that by being so angry my movements are using more energy," she admitted and Humejima hummed.

"He was planning for it," he said simply. "Is Oyakata-sama…?"

"Safe?" Musashi asked before she nodded. "Tengen has him. He'll take him to Shinjuro and Senjuro. The three of them will protect the family... hopefully nothing will come to harm them."

"And Dōji?" the Rock Pillar asked.

Musashi was silent.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't know where she is, nor what she'll do now..."

(x)

Shuten Dōji could think of a number of things that would have been more interesting than wandering this pop-up fortress of Muzan's.

She could be drinking, partying, or taking bites and nibbles from that wonderful Rock Pillar.

Literally, anything else would have been more interesting and productive.

Muzan's manufactured demons didn't even come after her. It seemed as if deep in their little pea-sized brains, they recognized that she was more dangerous than their Progenitor. Of course, cowering away didn't save them and she was hungry.

So, demons were killed, flesh consumed, and hunger satiated— at least, for a little bit. She was bound to get hungry again.

She could feel and hear the fights around her as she walked, bloody footprints and drag marks from her kimono trailing behind her and she licked her lips.

A cold chill made her pause, though. Like winter had arrived early and from beyond a door no less. The sent of blood was carried on the frozen breeze and she felt her lips curl into a smile.

A Demon made by Muzan who was stronger than the rest she had faced so far?

What did Musashi call them? Demon Pillar Moons?

Well, whatever, it didn't matter to her as she slid open the door, eyes flickering around the room.

It was styled to be a bit like a Water Garden, with wooden pathways and lotuses and water lilies floating atop the water. Blood splattered all across the pathways, bodies as well, though they went ignored. She didn't care about them, glancing upwards towards where she felt the presence of the Demon.

Ah, there it was.

Oh, and there was that insect girl.

Shuten liked her, not enough to claim her as a food source like she had for Himejima, but she liked her enough. She had caused her endless entertainment with her anger and attempting to copy her own poisons (to no avail. It wasn't something that could be copied, after all).

The silver-haired demon on the other hand…

Well, she was tuning out his blabbering as she gazed up at the two, the demon's arms wrapped around Kocho tightly and keeping her from moving.

"Go to hell!" Kocho seethed and the Oni smirked.

"So eloquent," she hummed, smiling broadly as both figures startled. Rainbow-colored irises gazed down at the Oni, wide in surprise.

"Oh wow!" the demon said happily. "Another one? Today must be my lucky day! Oh, but you're… a demon, right? Strange, I've never seen you before."

Shuten's smile only widened.

"Please release my darling Butterfly," she said as Kocho glanced over her shoulder, her eyes wide as well. The Demon seemed to pout but didn't let go.

Shuten didn't like that.

It wasn't like she wasn't used to things going her way— she was quite used to things going wayward, actually— but she didn't like this Demon. Something about him made her lips curl and her skin itch, her origin just _begging_ to be twisted and for her to return to her original self.

But she didn't. If she were to use such an exhausting move it wouldn't be here.

Instead, she loosened her hold on her blood lust and allowed her Servant Presence to be felt.

"Let go," she ordered again, with all authority of the Lord of Mt. Ōe.

She didn't expect him to comply, but he did, dropping Kocho unhappily. The Insect Pillar landed with a sharp gasp, twisting onto her stomach and slowly pulling herself to her feet. She was in obvious pain but Shuten didn't break gaze with the demon above them. She didn't need to though, sighing softly as an alcoholic haze settled in the room. The demon was entranced, captured by her _**Intoxicating Aroma of Fruits**_. He wouldn't be moving until she released him.

"Little Butterfly, who is this one?" she asked and Kocho glared half-heartedly.

"He calls himself Douma and he's the second Upper Moon," she said softly, wiping blood from her mouth.

Shuten nodded, humming as the door slammed open and Kocho's… sister? Sister. Kocho's sister burst in. Shuten paid her no mind.

"So… he thinks he's Third best to Muzan… making him… what, fourth to me?" she asked before her lips split into a sadistic smile. "Well, then again, I don't see Muzan as anything more than a fly."

She yawned. "Well, this _should_ be interesting at least," she said before she turned to the sisters. "I want you two to stand back but stay on guard. No matter how strong you are, let the _monster_ handle something for once."

Kocho looked ready to refuse but Shuten's eyes flashed.

" _That Man's_ orders were to make sure that as many children as possible staid alive. I happen to like him enough to agree," she said. The Oni didn't wait for a response, instead, she snapped her fingers and forcing Douma back to himself.

"What was that just now?" He asked, intrigued. Shuten simply shrugged, humming.

"I'm not inclined to tell you," she said with a hum. "I don't divulge my secrets to lesser beings. Especially ones who mess with my things."

"Yours? I didn't know you stuck claim to them," he said, dropping down. He flicked one of his fans open, holding it in front of his face and Shuten hummed.

"Silly amoeba," she cooed, voice dropping with faux sympathy. "Every Human in this fortress belongs to me. So obviously, I'm pissed off~!"

She didn't wait for a response, springing forwards with a smile that promised nothing but pain.

Her first strike was blocked with a bladed fan, though the metal groaned under the impact and the Demon went flying back. Shuten landed, bouncing on her feet before she took off again, rocketing around the room and striking the demon at blinding speeds. Each time, her strikes were blocked, but hairline cracks were starting to form on the fans and the demon seemed to start becoming increasingly annoyed. Or distressed? In truth, Shuten didn't care.

"You really should try and fight back, little parasite," Shuten taunted as she landed. The demon just smiled, though it was forced.

"I certainly should," Douma said, "But I'm curious! Why did you join with humans? They're a bit useless, you know. It's better to put them out of their misery by eating them."

Shuten laughed, expression darkly mischievous and her eyes crinkled up at the corners with malice. "Oh, silly dust-mite," she said. "You're under the impression I've never eaten human, aren't you?"

"Miss Dōji," she heard Kocho say softly. "That's insulting to dust-mites."

It appeared the little Butterfly still had the energy to be humorous. Shuten smirked, laughing again.

"Of course, I apologize," she relented before she held her hand out. Materializing her sake dish before holding her other hand out, a bowl of assorted fruits materializing in that one. "And I apologize for not being serious. It seems this pest isn't going to be serious so I should just eat him and get over it."

"Eat _me_?" Douma asked as if it were the most startling thing in the world. Shuten frowned, tilting her head.

"Of course I would. Any self-respecting Dark Mystic wouldn't hesitate to eat whatever caught its fancy," she said, before faking surprise. "You mean you don't? Oh my… it seems we aren't even the same species then…" she smirked.

"Fufufu, though it's not as if that's new news."

Douma's rainbow-colored eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Shuten tapped her foot, seeming to think before she answered. "Well, you are a Demon," she said, pointing at him with her fruit bowl. "Whereas I am an Oni."

She could see the gears turning in the man-shaped disgrace of a Demon's head. She knew from the years she had been in this world that the words 'demon' and 'Oni' were no longer synonymous. The Demons never referred to themselves as Oni for reasons she didn't know, and being one of, if not THE, last Oni, she didn't use the word 'demon' for herself. Or at least, not to describe her race.

"You've got guts, lady," Douma said. "Calling yourself an Oni."

Shuten made no response, instead, she sighed and shook her head. "Oh my... it seems my neck is starting to ache," she said, letting go of her fruit bowl and it vanished. She reached a hand back, and as if she were grasping some sort of invisible ribbon, the Oni Lord of Mt. Ōe tugged.

Three gasps only made her smirk as the black armor around her neck melted away and glamour created by her own Dark Magics and Oni Arts followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuten vs Douma!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you guys read the Kyojuro chapter yet? I might've cried.
> 
> Also posting this a bit early because I'm pretty busy tomorrow so yeet.

Shinobu couldn't stop herself from gasping softly when she saw it.

The defining trait behind Oni and Demons— aside from the explained hierarchy, creation, and other abilities— was the healing factor. Oni just didn't heal as seamlessly as Demons. She had seen it a few times before, when Shuten made use of her and Tamayo's makeshift lab to add or adjust her own poisons. When her "outer skin" flickered and gave way because the Oni was "bored" and was "leaving them to go do something more fun".

Pale scars across her back, like claw marks.

She said that they were from other Oni, as the path to power was always going to be clawing desperation up the ladder of power. One doesn't become the top Oni by doing absolutely nothing to get there. And Oni liked to fight to, it was a sport to them, and getting injured was normal.

Still, those scars were small, faded, and easily hidden against Shuten's pale skin.

The one that Shinobu was seeing now though? This one was different.

The scar was much darker against the Oni's neck, dark and jagged. Shinobu knew the story of Shuten Dōji— most everyone did. She knew about how the Oni was tricked into slumber and was decapitated as such. And she supposed that when she met the Oni, somewhere, in the back of her mind, Shinobu had expected the scar to be smooth and clean, that Minamoto no Yorimitsu had severed Shuten's head as easily as paper.

This, though… this looked like Shuten Dōji's head had been sawed off. There's no doubt it had been painfu— it _looked_ painful. _Nichirin_ blades cut cleanly through the head of Demons with help from Breaths, but this… It just had to have been painful.

Painful enough to wake Shuten from her slumber. Enough for her to bite that god-given helmet of the Minamoto Warrior. An Oni's skin was tough, and it appeared that Minamoto no Yorimitsu's blade had failed to make the decapitation clean.

And of course, Shinobu realized that Douma must have realized it too. If she hadn't believed that Shuten was who she was before, she certainly did now.

Demons didn't carry scars and Shuten was certainly not human.

Douma had to accept the fact that he was dealing with an Oni.

An expression, one of fear, flickered across the Second Demon Moon's face before it was gone. "You're not just any old _Oni,_ are you?" he asked. "Only an idiot would mistake you for one with that ugly scar on your neck."

His eyes hardened suddenly.

"But I was certain _you_ were dead."

Shuten just laughed. She was so unbothered and Shinobu suddenly realized just how powerful the Oni before her was.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead as well? Little pests like you should be swatted out when they buzz too close," Shuten hummed before she flicked her hand. In it, a double— no quadruple-bladed sword appeared in her hand. "Enough chatter, I have a time limit and I'm running late."

Shuten shot forwards, easily dodging the frozen attacks that Douma sent her way. She seemed to be doing it almost leisurely, twisting and turning in ways only she could— and drinking as well. Douma was keeping her at a distance, and she seemed to be staying there, but in a blink of an eye— Shinobu would have missed it if she did blink— she was in front of him and she thrust her sword forwards.

The blade entered Douma's chest and Shuten smiled.

Shinobu felt Kano gasp softly, stiffening a bit as Shuten twisted her wrist and pulled.

"It's about to get a bit bloody, darlings~!" the Oni called back and Shinobu, for all her experience with medical aid, almost vomited upon seeing white pull through. Douma spat blood, writhing as Shuten continued pulling with a sickeningly sadistic smile.

Shuten Dōji was pulling Douma's skeleton out starting from his chest.

Douma screamed in pain, the cheerful and laid back exterior breaking but Shuten didn't pause. Shinobu felt a shudder go down her spine as she realized that the Oni was _laughing._

" _Oh~_ It' been _soooo_ long since I've used this!" the small girl said before she shoved her sword forwards. The bones followed suit, as none of them had left the body fully, but it was still painful. The sword vanished not too long later and Shuten licked her lips.

"That gives me an idea though…" Shinobu just barely heard before the Oni jumped back. Douma panted, gripping his fans tightly before glaring up at Shuten.

"You _are_ all bark and no bite, aren't you?" Shuten taunted before she raised her _sake_ dish and took a drink. "Shame. I thought I was going to have more fun…" she sighed and Shinobu shivered.

"I'll just end this now."

The Oni shot forwards, hand extended. She was seconds away from the Demon before the ceiling above them cracked and something— or rather, _someone—_ crashed through.

"ORRRRRAAAAAGH! INOSUKE-SAMA HAS DESCENDED FROM THE HEAVEEEEEEENSS!"

What.

"Miss Dō—"

Shinobu didn't get to finish her warning before the teenager landed on the small Oni. A look a surprise crossed both her and Douma's faces as the boy stood, cackling.

"The Crow's directions were right on the dot! Fight! Fight!" he chanted before he stopped, peering at Douma.

Even though he was at such close proximity, the Demon was still too shellshocked to do anything.

"Hmmmm?" Inosuke tilted his head. "HMMMMM? TWO! YOU! YOU'RE UPPER MOON TWO! YOUR IDENT—" "As fun as this is," Shuten sighed from under the Beast Breath user's feet. "Please get off. If I wanted to be stepped on, I would have asked that Stone Pillar~"

Shuten shifted when Inosuke didn't, throwing the boy off before she hopped to her feet. The Oni looked disgruntled, frowning before she sighed.

"My bloodlust was killed," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm going to drink some."

Her lips curled upwards and Shinobu's blood ran cold.

"Have fun fighting."

"SHUTEN!" Shinobu roared, but her cry fell on deaf ears as the Oni just gave her a toothy smile, sitting down.

(x)

Shuten Dōji was petty. She knew that much and so did most everyone who knew her. Douma was much weaker than she had expected and the fight wasn't any fun when he wasn't struggling or confident in his abilities.

Perhaps she should've hidden the Oni tidbit for a bit longer?

No matter, that boar kid— Inosuke? Musashi had briefly told her his name— had killed her intensity.

The Oni sat on a different walkway, ignoring Kocho's withering glare before the three Demon Slayers leaped into battle. Really, it's not like she had betrayed them— anyone would know that Oni did what they wanted to— and when they wanted to.

Her eyes darkened a bit as she felt the thrum of her Oni Arts under her skin, along with the movement of her other skin. It's not as if going all out would void her of energy, but she wanted to have _more_ than what she had in order to pull off a _special_ stunt against Muzan.

If Muzan wanted to play King of the Dark Mystics, then she was going to introduce him to the being who stood there.

Shuten lounged as she watched as Inosuke and Kano broke through the ice that Douma sent their way. The Demon was more vicious than before— not that Shuten had anything to really go on— and even with Kocho backing them up, they were still struggling.

The Oni hummed, watching as she drank her sake and pulled the grapes from their stems. Popping them in her mouth, her eyes narrowed a bit as she listened to the boar-child's boasting and yelling. Kocho was slowing down, her injuries taking a toll on her before she dropped back, allowing Kano to take her place and attack.

Shuten wasn't familiar with the whole Breath Style system, but they were powerful enough. Illusions danced along their blades, flowers, energy, and butterfly wings. It was mesmerizing and beautiful as Kano slashed through ice-made lotuses.

Inosuke shot forwards next as Douma's confidence returned, though his eyes sometimes flickered over to where Shuten was— wary. Shuten only raised a brow at him, sometimes blowing him a kiss or drawing her thumb across her neck. Her glamour had been replaced, the Oni having no wish to keep the scar on display. But the Demon knew better— he knew that there was an ugly, saw-like scar across her neck under the black armor. He knew better than to attack her directly.

Lotuses bloomed and busts in the visages of beautiful women grew from them, blowing chilling air and forcing the three Slayers back. Swords flashed and ice was shattered as the Demon and Demon Slayers continued to battle. Kocho was slowing down. She wouldn't last much longer, Shuten noted with a hum before her eyes narrowed.

As Kocho thrust her sword forwards, a fatal opening had been made and Douma moved to take advantage of it.

Well, she couldn't have that now could she?

Standing and leaping forwards, Shuten caught Kocho around the waist, pulling her out of the way of Douma's fan. The Insect Pillar startled as she was pulled over the water and onto another walkway.

"How about you rest for now, mmm?" The Oni said, forcing her to sit. "Believe in your student and her friend, mm?"

Kocho stared at her before her brows furrowed and Shuten could sense an argument coming on.

She stopped it before the tiny Slayer could start.

"Besides, you don't have a poison potent enough," she added before she reached into her bowl of fruit. She pulled a vial out, the glowing, violet liquid inside swirled with greens and pinks as she held it to the light. "If you want to kill that pest, then you're going to need something different."

She handed it to Kocho, who took it slowly as Inosuke started yelling again. The two of them looked over, seeing Douma holding the boy's Boar Mask and taunting him— about his mother?

Shuten scowled suddenly, making Kocho look at her oddly.

"Oni drink to despair," Shuten said, sensing the Slayer's gaze. "It's the way it is. But for those who of us who… in Human Terms, it would be… well, not quite adopted— friendship, or something?" she shrugged before she continued. "In Oni terms, it would be Claimed. Oni, or at least I, do not drink to the despair of our Claimed. Family, servants, or whatever you want to call them, they are ours and ours alone."

She stood, cracking her fingers as Inosuke was slashed across his chest and landed in the water.

"Coat your blade in my Poison. Its potency is just a few notches under my Noble Phantasm, _ **Senshibankou— Shinpen Kidoku,"**_ she instructed, tone serious which was out of character for her. She didn't take her eyes off of the fight, watching as Kano blocked an attack that Douma aimed at the downed Beast Breath user, still taunting and crowing about the boy's mother. "You will have one shot, one strike. One. Don't waste it." Her lips turned upwards. "You can choose — on if you want to use it on this or another filthy creature. But you'll have to find your own opening here~"

In a flash, Shuten had kicked off from the wooden walkway.

"The demon who killed my mother is right before my eyes!" Inosuke snarled as he turned to face Douma. The boy had finally snapped due to Douma's taunting. "Allow me to thank you for letting me remember! But I won't just cut your head off now—" Shuten landed between them, cutting the boy off as she did.

"Okay, okay~" she hummed, gazing at the boy, "You've had your fun. Let the adults handle the rest."

Inosuke snarled, gripping his swords. "You copped out, you coward! What makes you think that I'm gonna trust you after that!"

Shuten rolled her eyes, sighing before she crossed her arms. She didn't bother to argue with the boy, simply exhaling and entrancing him with _**Intoxicating Aroma of Fruits**_. His eyes glazed over and she glanced to Kano. "Take care of that boy."

The girl startled before nodding, biting her lip a bit. She started to say something before she stopped herself, grabbing Inosuke and leaping onto the walkway by Kocho.

Shuten stretched, smirking at Douma, before she leaped into battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted Inosuke to learn about his mother, and Shuten does strike me a bit like a petty person who would back out if it suited her because of spite. But even Evil has Standards and Shuten's standards are don't be a dick to a dead person's mom, Douma. Especially when that mother is the mother of her boar-child.
> 
> Shuten claiming the Slayers as "hers" is just a personal headcanon— once again, selfish Oni is possessive over her things. She's not going to let Douma have what's hers.
> 
> I hope this isn't super disappointing in content, we did get to see some gore but like, I never did like Douma, and writing him was a bit of a challenge, so you'll see that there isn't a full-fledged fight like there will be with a certain other Upper Moon.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a day late but uh, stuff happens.

The announcement that Upper Moon Six (newly turned, she assumed) and Upper Moon Three had been killed by Zenitsu, Kocho, Shuten Dōji, Kano, and Inosuke respectfully had been a surprise. Not a bad one, but a surprise nonetheless.

Of course, that meant that there was at _least_ one more Upper Moon left— Upper Moon One. He would be strong, no doubt, but there was little doubt that they would be trying to get in their ways to keep Muzan from harm.

And then, of course, after that one was killed, there was the _minor_ issue of Muzan, himself.

Himejima had taken up the lead in their group, ordering Musashi to fall to the back in order to save her energy from recklessly killing cannon-fodder Demons. Tokito was between them, his hair and sleeves billowing behind him as the three of them ran. So far, they had not seen a hide or hair of the other Slayers, but there had been no Death Announcements from the Crows. Kocho had been severely injured against the Third Moon, but Musashi trusted that Shuten would be able to keep them all safe enough if she stayed with them. If not, then Kano and Inosuke were both very cappable if Kocho were unable to fight.

Those thoughts were dispelled from her mind, as the three of them crossed into another area of the Fortress. Musashi felt her skin prick slightly and suddenly, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck raise just a bit. She could feel Muzan's presence somewhere close to where they were.

"Kibutsuji's nearby!" Himejima called back, sensing him as well. "Don't let your guard down!"

But it was no less than a moment after he said that did the wall shoot out and slam into Tokito right in front of Musashi.

"TOKITO!" she heard Himejima yell from the other side.

"Nevermind me— go!" Tokito yelled back before he was slammed into an open room. The pillar shattered and the doors closed behind it, laving the two other Pillars behind.

Musashi glanced at Himejima and the Stone Pillar seemed to read her thoughts.

"We're going after him," she said simply before she leaped off the side. Himejima didn't respond, following her to the edge as she kicked off the wall and landed on an outcropping over halfway to the other side. She held her hand up, catching the shaft of the axe thrown her way and tugging tight. It was a move that she had done many times with the other Pillar. Her agility and inhuman prowess could carry her across chasms and gorges and often put her on par with Uzui in brute force alone— even higher if she dug her heels in when she became as stubborn as Shinazuagawa could be. She just wasn't one to exercise pure brute force, ever.

Himejima was also strong, he could normally use his own strength and momentum to carry himself across smaller chasms and gorges in the earth. But Musashi, he, Kyojuro, and (prior to his retirement) Uzui had a system that would work should there be one that the Pillars could not cross alone— but Musashi could.

For Kyojuro, he'd just be carried over. Himejima would be pulled the rest of the way. For Uzui it depended on the day.

Musashi shifted her grip on the axe before she nodded and the other Pillar leaped. Musashi turned and took off. Her own momentum would pull him when his ended and then the two would do it all over again.

She felt the chain go slack as Himejima landed, moments before she launched to the other side. She shot her hand out, grasping the edge and swinging herself up and onto the platform. The jump this time was shorter and Himejima easily leaped over and she handed his axe back to him without a word.

"Sounds of fightin' up ahead," she said, nodding down a hall.

"Indeed," Himejima agreed before the two took off again.

The sound of gunshots echoed as Musashi through the door at the end of the hall open. Shinazugawa was on his knees, Genya's gun over his shoulder with smoke rising from the tip. A demon dressed like a samurai with six eyes and a grotesque looking sword stood over the Wind Pillar, but that wasn't what caught Musashi's eye.

Genya was in half with his arms torn off across the way and even further was Tokito— arm gone and pinned to a pillar.

The demon swung his sword and Musashi and Himejima leaped forwards. Himejima snagged Shinazugawa out of the way as Musashi's swords flashed and she blocked each attack. The deflections kicking up dust around them.

"Ho…? More appear one after the other, unexpectedly," the demon said as Himejima's chains rattled and the dust began to settle.

"The Demon Slayer Corps will never disappear until we eradicate all demons from this world," Musashi said before she raised her sword, pointing at the demon. "So this really shouldn't be that unexpected."

She didn't wait for a response from the demon— instead, kicking off the ground and launching herself at him. His six eyes flickered between herself and Himejima before he smirked.

Her eye narrowed as he started to draw in a breath, but never got the chance as Himejima's flail sailed past her. The Demon retreated, making a move to attack again before he was forced to bring his sword up to block Musashi's downwards strike. Himejima's axe was thrown forwards as well and the Demon was forced back.

Musashi glanced back at Himejima before he nodded. She took off, leaping over the Demon Moon's swing before Himejima attacked him again. He would keep her busy as she got to Tokito.

"Mui!" she called, "Hold on!"

"Musa-nee!" the Mist Pillar gasped as she approached. "Nothing vital was hit— I'm sorry, I—"

"Save the apology!" she said as she placed a hand on his good shoulder. "You said nothing was hit? Brace yourself then!" she added quickly before she yanked the sword out. The boy grit his teeth as she caught him in her arm, handing his sword back.

"Hurry and patch that up, then go help the brothers. Then get out of here with Genya. I'd say try and find Kyo, but mainly get to Muzan," she ordered, "Himejima and I will be fine here with Shinazugawa."

She felt bad about telling the boys to back off, but that Demon Moon worried her. Tokito was a Pillar, yes, but he was still a boy. Fighting Muzan would be more dangerous— if he revived himself. And that was an _if_. But one that leaned closer towards a _when_. This would not be an easy fight. She had no idea where Kyojuro was, and Tokito had lost a lot of blood, even if he did find Muzan there was no guarantee he alone could win.

And based on the slightly panicked and frustrated look on Tokito's face, he didn't want to abandon this fight.

She pursed her lips a bit before she sighed, turning to the boy and lightly mussing his hair before leaning down and kissing his forehead.

"Himejima and I will be fine here with Shinazugawa," She told him gently, gently patting his shoulder. "Please stay safe, Mui. I don't think I could handle it if you died here."

The boy blinked, looking up at her before he nodded. "Okay…" he said softly before she turned and leaped back into battle with Himejima.

As the other Pillar trapped the demon in his chains, Musashi struck from above, though missed by a hair as the dark-haired demon dodged at the last second. Musashi landed in a crouch as the demon slipped from the chains in a spray of blood from his sword— Himejima having cut the blade in half. It really was super grotesque, but there was no time to dwell on it as Musashi was forced to kick off the ground to the side as he brought his blade down on her. Himejima's chains were thrown out in front of her as the demon brought his sword up into a slash in seconds.

' _His speed is scarily controlled,'_ she thought as she landed. _'Faster than Shinobu. Probably faster than Kotarou was. And this guy's using Breathing. A Slayer turned Demon? What a mess.'_

A shift in breathing from Himejima made her adjust her footing, kicking off the ground and leaping back behind the larger man as both Demon and Demon Slayer released their attacks. She recognized Himejima's _Fourth Form— Rhyolite: Rapid Conquest_ _ **,**_ but she didn't recognize the Demon's form. That pissed her off, making her grit her teeth as she adjusted her swords.

The six-eyed demon did the same as she gazed at him, his sword having… regenerated?

"Everything that breaks… will regenerate right away," the man was saying. "Attacks are useless."

Then the sword was a part of him as well.

"Man, that's kinda… gross," Musashi couldn't help but utter, making the Demon's eyes flick over to her. Himejima grunted a bit as blood dripped down a slash across his face.

"Musashi," he said lowly and she only raised her swords again.

"Yeah… to be honest, I really was hoping to keep this for Muzan… but this bastard's tough," she sighed, reaching up and pulling her eyepatch off. "If we fail here… we're back to the beginning."

Himejima crossed his arms and with a sudden burst of energy, black marks like cracks appeared on his forearms. Musashi focused as well, eyes flashing a brighter blue as she felt her energy swell around her. Her skin burned and her heart sped up as a red-colored symbol, not too, too unlike her hair ornament, appeared on her right collarbone.

"We've got nothin' to lose by using this here!"

Musashi drew _Myoujingiri_ and flew forwards with Himejima backing her up.

With the Demon Swordsmen Slaying Blade in one hand and her designated _Earth_ Blade in the other, she moved seamlessly with the other Pillar. Striking from below as Himejima launched his Iron Ball at the six-eyed demon.

She hesitated to use _Breathing_ , even her own. It wasn't time yet, her _Heavenly Eye_ whispered. She had to wait for things to line up. Too early would lead to her death.

Musashi swung her blade, forcing the demon to block with his before she twisted, swinging the other one at the same time Shinazugawa jumped into the fight. He swung low and forced the demon to leap away from them. The Wind Pillar had a pinwheel-like mark on his cheek, his stomach and chest stitched together.

Both of them leaped up and back as Himejima slammed his foot into the ground, sending the stone flooring upwards— fissures crawling across the floor. "Looks like the training we all did saves the day, huh?!" Shinazugawa asked, readying his sword. "Let's do this!"

She and Himejima both nodded before the three of them leaped back into battle.

Shinazugawa flanked her as they closed in on the demon, both of them striking from opposite sides. The demon blocked her first sword before dodging Shinazugawa. He twisted his blade, throwing her back before kicking Shinazugawa in the stomach. A flurry of slashes intercepted Himejima's attack as Musashi landed in a roll, growling.

"This guy's really starting to piss me off," she uttered before she shot forwards again. She staid low to the ground, using _Hasso Hidari_ in order to attack the demon's legs. His six eyes widened as she slashed his ankles. Though the attack wouldn't go much initially, seeing how he could simply regenerate the tendons, it did stop him for a bit as he shifted, twisting to strike her as she kept low to the ground, preparing to spring back.

"Shinazugawa!" She shouted, though the Wind Pillar was already in place, bringing his own blade down on the Demon's and forcing it downwards.

"Himejima!"

At the Wind Pillar's call, the man's iron ball sailed through the air. The Demon dodged, though barely as locks of hair were torn from his head.

Musashi leaped forward in that next instance, eyes narrowing before she crossed her swords in the same way that she had done when she and Himejima had first fought together. _Aisen Uchidome_ was something that was powerful, and she quite liked using it— she had done a good amount of damage to Akaza that way, after all.

Two slashes in the form of an 'x' were released from her blades, violet crescents of _mana_ forcing the demon to raise his blade to block the attack. She landed, turning on her heel and striking again, using _Sassen_ as Himejima shot forwards from the front. He brought his axe up as she brought her blade down. In an attempt to dodge her, he moved right into Himejima's attack, getting his ear cut off in the meanwhile. Musashi leaped over and back as Shinazugawa let loose a flurry of attacks in the form of a cyclone.

Sheathing her blades midair, she quickly drew her _water_ blade and took a breath.

_Breath of the Void: Water Class— Thundering Falls!_

She twisted her blade, drawing on the force of both Water Breathing and the _Nio_ that appeared upon activation of her Phantasm, before she slashed downwards, attacking in tandem with Himejima and Shinazugawa.

The attacks, while blocked, shredded the demon's kimono and she landed, turning on her heel and drawing _Myoujingiri_ again.

"We're not done yet!" Himejima yelled as he and Shinazaugawa pushed forwards again.

"Press the attack!" Shinazugawa ordered, "Go for his neck until we have cut clean through it!"

Musashi's _Heavenly Eye_ sparked as she saw the Upper Moon turn slightly and she slammed her foot down, pivoting her body and launching her sword through the air at the demon. The sword sailed straight as sprays of blood painted her fellow pillars.

With a clang, the demon smacked the sword away, his own transformed as Musashi drew another.

"You tore my kimono," the Demon hissed, teeth bared. "With attacks like that, you couldn't even kill an infant. Once I've put the three of you town, the rest ought to be trivial."

Musashi leaped forwards, breath speeding up. "Fall back, the both of you!" she ordered the two as she swung her sword out, sending an arc of violet _mana_ at the demon and intercepting an attack from him.

She took off, twisting and guarding against attacks as she did.

' _This isn't like the other times, I managed to dodge and avoid major injury but even the shallow cuts are starting to slow me down,'_ She thought as she ducked and countered a slash from the Demon. _'He's getting faster! Was he just toying with us before!? Think dammit! All scenarios now lead to death, what the hell!'_

She gasped softly as the demon brought his sword back, eyes flashing as he exhaled.

Musashi barely had her swords up in time to block the attack, feeling cuts on her fingers and blood making her grip slick as she was thrown back.

She hit the ground with a thud, feeling the breath get knocked from her lungs before blood spattered the ground by her. Shinazugawa was forced to the ground as he had been making his way across to attack. She rolled to her feet, shaking the daze from her eyes as the Demon readied his blade again.

"Shinazugawa, Musashi!"

"Forget about us, Himejima!" Shinazugawa roared as he skid across the ground.

Musashi reached out to pull Shinazugawa out of the way before a black blur grabbed him by the waist. Tokito kicked off the ground in a split second, pulling the Wind Pillar out of the way as a strong arm snagged the back of Musashi's collar. Suddenly, she was up in the air, pulled back against someone's chest before they landed out of the way of the attack.

"Apologies for being late! But Young Tokito and I won't let you die here!"

Musashi's eyes widened as she glanced up, seeing the furious smile of the Flame Pillar directed at the Upper Moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I had notes I took when I was writing this chapter but I don't know where they went, so I might miss some points but here are the ones I remember)
> 
> Pillar Teamwork ™ between Musashi and the gang. Also I wanted an excuse to show off Musashi's B rank strength, lol.
> 
> When Mui remembers his past in the Smith Village, there's a scene of him and Kyojuro that he remembers. A lot of people, myself included, have chosen to interpret this as the two having a very good, sibling-ish (if not father-son) relationship. And sticking true to that, Musashi and Kyojuro are together so he would see Musashi as a big sister (or mom) of sorts. Good Vibes for all.
> 
> Off-topic, but how do you guys feel about Avatar the Last Airbender? Because I've been itching to write something for it eventually.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got sick. Not the 'Rona, but still not good. I'm not 100% so if there are errors I'm sorry. Also I lost all of my original notes and still haven't gotten them back, I think they're lost for good.

Kyojuro had a number of expressions outside of battle. Within the thick of it, Musashi knew he only had a handful. There was that smile that often unnerved his opponents with how unbothered he was. Then there was his neutral face, one that was only seen when he was serious. The last two were ones that Musashi really dreaded seeing since it meant that the opponent had pushed her easygoing Flame Pillar too far— and both were masks of fury.

A furious smile donned his face now, and if the Upper Moon were any other demon, Musashi was sure that he would be shrinking back in fear.

Musashi let out a breath, lightly patting his arm before he let her go, patting her shoulder in return and handing her sword back to her— the one she had thrown at the demon.

"Thank you," she said, putting it away and readjusting her grip on her current swords. Kyojuro hummed, nodding.

"Any time," he said, adjusting his sword as well. "We shouldn't leave Gyoumei in there by himself, though."

She nodded before the two of them took off, dodging a far-reaching attack from the demon as they rejoined the others. There was no time for reunion words as they fought together. Tokito was a black blur as he moved between attacks, but the blood loss was getting to him as he just barely dodged an attack. Another cut into Himejima as he ducked his head out of the way.

Musashi twisted her blades, pushing _mana_ into them as green and red flames ignited on her _Flame_ and _Wind_ swords.

A glance from Kyojuro and a nod from Shinazugawa and Himejima was all she needed for her next move.

"Hey! Bastard!" she called, making him glance over after firing off another attack.

"You're kinda gross, you know? Like really gross!" she said as she ducked between attacks. "I'm very concerned about the six eyes. Why do you have them? Where did they come from? Akaza only had two of them! Do you have to look in different directions?"

Taunting. Musashi was good at that. It might not throw him off entirely, but it would be enough. There was a fine line between arrogance, confidence, and courage, and taunts always traveled that line. Even against a man who was as grounded and intense as Yagyu, her taunts still made him crack character— just a bit.

She had to think of this fight as fighting him, not as an overwhelming battle, or they would never win. Battling was also psychological and she couldn't lose that one too.

"Are you trying to be a spider or something? You need two more eyes for that part!"

The last comment made his eyes twitch and she grinned as he directed an attack towards her. She leaped up, flipping and letting out a breath— just as Kyojuro did as well.

_Breath of the Void: Flame Class— Archer Inferno!_

A rain of stabs that were similar to _Hasso Migi_ rained down on the demon, just as Kyojrou and Shinazugawa closed in on the demon. Both of them unleashed the _Void_ attacks she had taught them— Kyojuro with _Berserk Samghata,_ striking with his secondary sword, which was alight with real flames, rather than illusions, and Shinazugawa with _Striking Swallow_.

Himejima's movements shifted, his iron ball slamming into the demon as he was distracted with Breath Styles he had never seen before— and the flames that had caught on his hair from Kyojuro's blade.

An entire chunk was taken out from his side, spraying the area with flesh and blood as Tokito let a flurry of attacks go and Shinazugawa shot forwards. The Wind Pillar's eyes seemed to have changed as he thrust his sword into the Demon's side— losing a leg in the process.

Musashi and Tokito descended from above, just barely able to dodge his sword as they slashed at his neck. When they failed to land hits, she grabbed the boy and kicked off the demon's back as he attacked. They moved out of the way from it as Genya, brave, foolish Genya, fired off shots from around the corner.

A tree sprouted from the Demon's arms where he was shot— coiling and wrapping around him and the Wind Pillar but the white-haired man staid firm, snarling and pushing his blade further into the Upper Moon.

Kyojuro and Himejima struck next, descending from above and the demon's eyes widened.

He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before he reared his head back. Musashi's eye sparked again and she threw Tokito upwards before she kicked off the ground again.

"GENYA, GET DOWN!" She yelled, hurtling towards the boy. The boy startled, hitting the ground as Musashi moved in front of him. She brought her sword up, feeling the attack rattle her entire being as she blocked what she could. Gashes tore into her skin and she grit her teeth as blood sprayed across the floor. She felt her grip fall slack from one of her swords and she grimaced— that attack had cut tendons in her wrist.

"Don't retreat! Keep goin', you bastards!" she heard Shinazugawa yell and she forced her hand to grip the blade in it— tossing Genya his gun back and kicking off the floor in a sprint. She joined Kyojuro in another attack. The Upper Moon had sprouted blades from his body and Musashi saw, with a sickening realization, that Shinazugawa's other leg had been cut cleanly off.

She grit her teeth, bringing her blade down to meet one of the Demon's own as Kyojuro set his aflame again— swinging it towards his head. The Demon simply moved his head back and she could feel the heat from the flames as she pressed down against the demon. Shinazugawa snarled something as he pressed his blade further in and she felt the demon startle as he threw her and Kyojuro back, both of them crashing into Himejima. Both of them quickly moved away from the older Pillar, who was quick to recover as well before Musashi's eyes widened.

Shinazugawa's blade glowed red, the coloring slowly climbing from the hilt to tip.

The demon's eyes widened and his jaw clenched. He seemed to be in pain as his body stiffened and that was all the opening that Tokito needed. The boy lunged forwards, his own marks painting his face as he swung his sword at the demon's neck. The blade just barely made a scratch and Genya fired off more rounds. Another tree sprouted from the Demon's back and he moved to attack the boy before Himejima slammed his ball into the demon's head. The demon went down partially— not yet on his knees but he was bent over.

The demon let out a roar, though no attack came as Musashi leaped forwards, swinging _Myoujingiri_ downwards on Himejima's weapon— Kyojuro picking up on her tactic and also leaping forwards to assist.

As her sword made contact with Himejima's Iron Ball, red bloomed across its surface and _Myoujingiri_ seemed to ignite as well, glowing red. Kyojuro's original blade swung down on top of her's, his blooming a deeper red as the two of them forced Himejima's weapon to smash through the demon's neck and head.

Shinazugawa hung on tight to his blade as the three other Pillars landed, Tokito running up to them before they all startled as the bleeding stopped.

"Musashi! Rengoku! Tokito! Don't pull back on your attacks!" Himejima yelled, tugging his chains and pulling his weapon back to him. "Drive him into the ground!"

"Genya! Support from the back!" Kyojuro yelled before he and the Mist Pillar leaped forwards, "Hang on, Shinazugawa! We won't let you die in vain!"

Musashi joined them, gripping _Myoujingiri_ with both hands now as she and the others attacked. The demon's body moved, even as they unbalanced him, his hand slicing through Shinazugawa's wrist and tossing him aside.

Still, the four of them attacked with Genya sprinting onto the battlefield to collect his brother's body, tears streaming from his eyes. He retreated as Musashi landed in front of him, leaping forwards again to attack, just as the demon wrenched Shinazugawa's sword from his body.

And in the next instant, the demon had evaded their attacks.

She landed, whirling around as he reformed.

He was nothing short of a monster now, with strange, thorn-like protrusions jutting from his body and his eyes looking every which way. His mouth was now more of a maw and much like a spider's own as horns grew from his forehead.

"He regenerated his head!" Kyojuro yelled.

"Motherfucker— Keep pressing the attack!" she yelled back, "His body should be fragile after losing his head!"

"He's not regenerating as fast as Muzan! Take off his head, no matter how many times it takes!" Himejima ordered as they closed in on the demon. He wasn't moving, though his eyes drifted to Tokito's sword— seeming to widen.

He must have seen his reflection, Musashi reasoned. He was pretty grotesque, though it wasn't the time or place to voice such thoughts. Her eyes widened as his side started to crumble where Shinazugawa had stabbed him through.

Himejima's Iron Ball reached the demon first, smashing his head and tearing it clean off his neck as Musashi landed. She twisted her footing and slashed upwards, cleaving his arm off as Tokito and Kyojuro attacked the tendrils on his back.

Again and again, the four of them attacked, not allowing time for the demon to regenerate as they pushed all their might into defeating the first Upper Moon.

And then Musashi stopped, skidding to a halt and nearly stumbling as she hit a crack in the floor. The demon's _karma_ had vanished.

"Gyoumei! Mui! Kyo! It's done!" she yelled and the three halted mid-attack. The four of them stood still, watching as the last of the demon disintegrated into nothing— leaving nothing but a scrap of cloth and a cut flute behind.

Musashi felt her legs give out under her as her vision blurred. She could feel her own energy mixing and clashing with her not-quite Servant energy as she fumbled to staunch the bleeding of her wrist.

"Musashi, you alright?" Kyojuro asked as he limped over. She nodded silently.

"Cut tendons. Fixin' it after the battle, not enough time now," she said, shaking her head. He nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "How'd you get here anyway?"

"I was heading towards Muzan when I heard fighting," he said simply as the two of them moved over to Himejima and Tokito. The two of them were standing behind Genya, who was gripping Shinazugawa's remaining hand.

"Nemi— Nemi! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the boy was saying, tears still streaming down his face. The Wind Pillar was miraculously still alive, though his breathing shallow and eyes unfocused. "I'm sorry I blamed you- I'm sorry I was such a pain— Please—"

He choked as the elder Shinazugawa brother grasped his hand weakly, that wicked grin, though softer now, making his way across his face.

"Gen… ya… don'… you fuckin' apologize… ya weren't ever a pain… jus' glad ya… ain't dead 'fore me…" he coughed, blood dripping from his lips. "Fuck… ya weren't 'pposed ta follow me here… damn brat… 'least— 'lease I know ya got fuckers lookin' out fer ya… now… shit…" his eyes flickered over to the rest of them.

"Don' you fuckin' cry fer me, woman— ain't— ain't dead jus' yet—" he wheezed and Musashi's hand move to her cheeks, feeling wetness before she wiped her eyes.

"Dumbass, I'm not cryin' for you," she said, though her tone lacked its usual bite. He smirked.

"Good. We ain't friends— ya ain't got nuthin' to cry over—" he grunted, eyes growing hazy. "Shit… Himejima, Tokito, you crazy fuckers— damn good at yer job— fuckin' shit… keep— keep a hand out fer Genya… and you dumbass firecracker… take care of yer woman, goddamnit… don'— let her do somethin' stupid—" the Wind Pillar coughed again, tension leaving his body as he heaved out a last breath.

"Gen… live 'til that fucker's gone… an' beyond… Be happy… fer me…"

With a howl of pain from the younger brother, along with choked and begging sobs for his older brother to stay with them, to keep his eyes open— anything!— Shinazugawa closed his eyes and his chest stopped.

The cry of pain and despair from Genya as he gripped his brother's hand was enough.

Muzan was more dead than ever before, now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Sorry Shinazugawa fans. 
> 
> I promised someone that there would be deaths, and I had to choose one or the other. There will be one more death among the Pillars but not as upfront as Shinazugawa's. 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead but I am running off of Halloween candy and anxiety because Nevada's votes still aren't in. In other news, if any of you guys are Fullmetal Alchemist fans, I'm putting out the first two chapters of my new fic today. It centers around a "what if" where Kimblee turned against the Homunculi while he was in prison. admittedly, it's just an excuse for me to write Heinkel/Kimblee fanfiction, and then have a legit reason for post-promised day FMA crossover fanfiction with Kimblee in it.

The reality of the situation was one that weighed heavily on the group of five as they ran through the fortress, now one Pillar short.

Genya had taken his brother's sword and strapped it to his side, eyes still red and puffy from crying, but he knew that he needed to move onwards. Tokito, despite how strong he had been before, was beginning to slow down. The blood loss was getting to him and no matter his protests, he ended up getting carried on Himejima's back.

They had only taken a few moments to patch themselves up— staunching the blood and sewing up larger gashes and Musashi recovered her _**Heavenly Eye**_.

But they couldn't stop.

Ubuyashiki's voice had rung out loud and clear, along with his Son's— Tamayo couldn't endure Muzan and he had revived himself.

The first team who had been on their way to finish him off had been slaughtered, only fueling Musashi's movements. The burning rage simmered under the skin of all of them, being forced down in order to keep calm and save energy.

They were Pillars. They had to endure and end Muzan.

The walls parted suddenly, the floor shifting underfoot before the entire area around the group shifted. Musashi skid to a halt, swords crossed in front of her as the rest of the group stopped as well. standing before them, with a bored expression on his face and hair a pure white, was Muzan.

Behind her, she heard Genya's breath starting to speed up. She could feel the barely contained anger of her fellow Pillars, but she held her arm out, stopping the men behind her from moving forwards.

"Calm down," she said, though her voice betrayed her as rage was heard laced between the words.

Muzan sighed softly as the room shifted around them again. Above, seemingly unaffected by gravity, were tables, waiting to be sat at. The floor under them would have been a ceiling and Musashi took care to make note of the architectural design. If there was any way to use it to their advantage, she didn't know just yet.

"Persistent…" Muzan sighs. "You're all seriously persistent. And it bores me. It sickens me from the bottom of my heart. Whenever you open your mouth, you only remember that one, dumb notion about avenging your parents, kids, siblings, or someone else. You've all survived. That should be enough?"

"What heart?" Musashi shot back before any of the others could respond. "It seems to me you lost yours when you became the fake Oni you are now."

Muzan's eyes sharpened. "I am no _fake_ ," he hissed, "I overcame and lasted longer than an Oni ever would."

"Huh. Is that so?"

His lips twisted for a moment before he forced his expression back to the blanked boredom.

"I do find it interesting, however," he said, "That _he_ would allow his wife to be a Demon Slayer. To think that you survived that blast, or perhaps you used him as a sacrifice for your safety, Ubuyashiki, Amane."

There was a beat of silence before Musashi snorted, fighting down a laugh. "You're more stupid than I thought," she said before she straightened up, pointing one of her swords at Muzan.

"I am not Lady Amane and if you weren't so self-absorbed, you would know that Oyakata-sama lives."

The attack was instantaneous and if they hadn't just come from fighting the Upper Moon One, Musashi was sure at least one of them would have been injured. Musashi and Kyojuro kicked off the floor to one side while Genya went the other direction. Himejima leaped upwards with Tokito still clinging to his back, the boy's eyes blazing with anger.

"You lie!" Muzan snarled and Musashi only laughed as she dodged the bladed, tentacle-like arm as it swung towards her.

"Really? That's your default?" she taunted, switching to _Hasso Hidari_ as soon as she hit the ground. She closed the distance between her and Muzan. Muzan flicked his arms and she kicked off the ground as the appendages moved to curl around her, dodging him before he raised his arm back.

Her head jerked to the side as her eye patch was ripped from her face and she leaped back, out of close range.

"Okay, so getting close did jack shit," Musashi uttered as Kyojuro moved to her side again. He gestured above them and she nodded.

"Himejima!" he called. "Strike the birds above!"

To anyone else, the message would have been ridiculous, but Himejima knew what the Flame Pillar meant. He launched his iron ball upwards and swung the chain. Tables began to break from the ceiling above, falling and creating cover and distractions as Kyojuro, Musashi, and Genya took off again.

The tables only kept cover for them for a little bit, however, and Muzan seemed unbothered.

"You're buying time… waiting for the sun?" he asked. "The light won't reach into this fortress… can you really manage with just four Pillars?"

Musashi felt her body tense as Muzan continued. "The Pillar in the stripped haori, the one in the mismatched haori, and the woman Pillar… seem to have already been killed by my subordinate, you know? Along with Kamado Tanjirou! And that little girl Pillar didn't last long against Douma!"

What.

No, no, Kocho was certainly still alive.

But what about Iguro? Tomioka?

Kanroji?

What about Tanjirou?

A guttural snarl was torn from Genya as he grabbed onto one of Muzan's arms and held on tight. Tokito leaped from Himejima as more tables were knocked down from above. His sword hardly did a thing, but Muzan recoiled when Genya bit down on the arm, tearing a chunk out as his eyes and teeth sharpened. The tips of his hair turned golden as he leaped back, his and his brother's swords in hand.

Both boys lunged forwards, weaving in and out of Muzan's strikes as Musashi leaped up and kicked a table towards him. Kyojuro drew his secondary sword as well, thumb lifting the latch before letting it go and the flint on the end struck the steel. A spark ignited into flames as they took off again.

' _The best way to finish this fight is to wait for Shuten to arrive,'_ Musashi thought as she brought her sword up to block Muzan. _'Even if she can't_ beat _him, she can at least cause a break in the fortress with her_ own _… hopefully…'_

"Don't let up!" Kyojuro called as he flipped over Muzan, eyes focused as Genya loaded his gun and shot off a few rounds. Tokito had fallen back, catching his breath before he leaped forwards again. Himejima's axe sailed past Musashi's head as she advanced as well. She swung her swords downwards, arcs of violet _mana_ carving deep gouges in the flooring. Muzan retracted his arms in order to protect himself, though blood sprayed the area as he was pushed back.

"Advance!" Kyojuro ordered as Himejima's iron ball slammed into Muzan. The progenitor of demons shook off his shock as he healed quickly, bracing against Himejima's attack with an annoyed look as he was forced backward.

Musashi leaped up, firing off another arc of violet _mana_ before she landed, planting her feet as Kyojuro used her back as a springboard. The Flame Pillar vaulted upwards, unleashing his Ninth Form from above. Muzan clicked his tongue before the ceiling above them cracked and Kanroji burst in with a shout of victory. She swung her arm out, easily falling in sync with her former mentor, as she struck with her Sixth Form.

Iguro shot out of the smoke behind her as both the Love Pillar and Flame Pillar kept one of Muzan's arms at bay. The Snake Pillar shot past them, skidding to a halt next to Himejima as he recalled his weapon back to him with a yank of the chain.

At the same time, both Tanjirou and Tomioka appeared in front of Tokito and Genya, the Water Pillar activating his Eleventh Form and Muzan's other arm was knocked aside.

"Good to see you're all alive!" Musashi greeted as she joined Kyojuro and Kanroji.

Muzan, on the other hand, seemed startled and confused as he gazed at the four. His eyes blazed suddenly.

"What the hell are you doing, Nakime!" he snarled, face twisting with fury before another voice rang out.

" _What_ is _she doing? That certainly is a good question."_

Musashi's eyes widened. "Shuten!"

" _Hello, darings~ Right now, that little boy and I are manipulating this woman's vision~ quite a feat, if I do say so~"_

" _Muzan,"_ a second voice cut in, voice shaking with rage. _"You have committed the heaviest sin in this world! You took Tamayo-sama from me! I'll make you kneel in regret!"_

Shuten's laughter echoed around them as the entire fortress began to shake and change. _"You heard the boy, sweetheart! Get ready for a_ wonderful _present! We're going to run you above ground~!"_

The sound of twangs from a _biwa_ sounded and the fortress began to split and shift. Musashi's breath hitched as Muzan's blood lust exploded outwards. The fortress stopped shaking for a moment.

"STOP INTERFERING!" he roared, "AND DIE!"

Musashi struck then and there, Iguro and Tomioka right behind her as she and the Water Pillar aimed for his head. Iguro struck from below, though the three of them were deflected as Muzan swung his arms out. Still, it seemed to have bought enough time as the fortress began to shake again.

The floor opened up under all of them and the seven Pillars, plus Tanjirou and Muzan, plummeted downwards. Muzan's hand curled suddenly and suddenly the group of them had landed where Muzan originally woke. Musashi's eyes widened for a second as she took in the blood and remains around her of deceased Slayers before they narrowed again. She didn't have time to dwell on it, however, as she and Kyojuro lunged for Muzan. They were deflected, of course, but they didn't give up as Tomioka and Iguro attacked as well.

They had to buy more time in order to stop Muzan from taking control and breaking the fortress as they were underground.

Behind them, Kanroji screamed softly as Muzan went for her neck and the building shook again.

Musashi stomped her foot down on a broken sword nearby, catching it as it shot up. She pivoted her foot, hurling the broken blade at the progenitor of Demons. She hit her target as the blade pierced through Muzan's head and he jerked to the side. Himejima's chain wrapped around the Love Pillar's waist and pulled her out of harms way. Muzan snarled, whirling around towards Musashi as he recovered his balance.

She flipped him off before hitting the ground as the platform they were on shot upwards, breaking through towards the surface above them.

The moon shone as they were thrown upwards but it wasn't the moon that made Musashi's and everyone else's eyes go wide— even Himejima could feel it.

The intense energy around them as a red pagoda rose up around them and the debris. They were in the center, the pagoda seeming to only be made up of halls and walkways with _shoji_ doors to protect from the outside.

"Hello, darlings~"

Shuten beamed down at them, teeth sharp and gleaming in the moonlight as she held her usual _sake_ dish in hand.

"Are you ready for the real fun to start?"

A pile of rubble exploded outwards as Kocho dropped down from above to join them, sword at the ready.

"Genya, Tanjirou, Iguro," Himejima murmured as Muzan revealed himself, more tentacles on his back. "Start scaling the… fortress. Stick to the shadows and strike when you can. Pillars will strike first, we must press the attack. We cannot allow him to escape this place."

The two Pillars nodded, each grabbing one of the others and taking off as Muzan's tentacles lashed out, scratching and gouging the wood around them.

"We still have a while until sunrise, guys," Musashi added, eyes narrowing as she met Muzan's furious ones.

"Do you… plan to keep me here until Sunrise!?" he snarled, tentacles lashing out again. "Try it, IF YOU CAN!"

"Let's go!" She ordered in the same moment and the eight remaining Pillars leaped into action.

Shuten remained where she was, watching through half-lidded eyes as Kocho and Musashi reached Muzan first. Kocho's sword was a blur as she struck and stabbed Muzan's tentacles, poison being injected with each strike before she fell back. Musashi, on the other hand, went for the neck as Iguro shot out from one of the upper floor walkways, also going for the neck. Tomioka and Kanroji both went for his legs as Himejima and Kyojuro aimed for his arms. Tokito launched from the other side of the pagoda as Iguro, aiming for the head instead of the neck. Their blades cut through the flesh, but Muzan seemed unbothered as Musashi grit her teeth.

Their swords were cutting through, yes, but he was regenerating the moment they cut him.

' _Shit! We're too close!'_ Musashi cursed, before she reached out, grabbing Iguro and pulling him out of the way of Muzan before she kicked her leg up. She hit Tokito in the stomach, sending him flying back before feeling Muzan's bladed tentacle pierce her leg. Another one struck her across the chest and she grunted.

Her eyes widened suddenly as a spray of blood spattered her face as the arm of a Slayer was cut off. The Slayer, head turned from her, dragged Musashi and Iguro out of the way before getting slashed.

Musashi felt her breath hitch as the young man's heat turned when he spat blood.

"Kinji!" she yelled but he pushed her back. "KEEP ADVANCING!" another Slayer yelled over the noise as more and more lower-ranked Slayers rushed into the Pagoda. "Become human shields for the Pillars! Remain alert! Give Muzan some brawl at the very least!"

Another boy— he was just barely a grown— tackled Kanroji to the side, losing a leg and arm in the process. Blood and bodies scattered as one by one the Pillars were moved out of range of Muzan.

"The Pillars have saved our lives countless times!" someone shouted. "If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be alive! Don't be afraid of fighting!"

Musashi got to her feet, feeling her leg and chest throb where she was struck as she moved to rejoin the battle with the others. She hated the idea of the others throwing away their lives for th—

Her thoughts were cut off as she violently coughed, making Kocho halt where she was tending to the wounded. Blood dripped down Musashi's chin as she felt her chest throb again.

Shuten's lips curled into a beastly grin as Musashi fell to one knee. Her vision blurred and she vaguely heard Muzan talking as she lifted her head. Sweat beaded her forehead as she panted, eyes glaring at him as the other Pillars turned as well. Kyojuro's eyes widened as she was forced to break gaze when coughing wracked her body again.

Suddenly, a hand was against her back as she coughed and choked on her blood. She could feel poison coursing through her veins as her vision darkened.

" _Hesitating again, woman?"_

' _Here to guide me to hell, old man?'_ she thought as blood pooled on the back of her hand, dripping from her lips.

" _Don't be snarky,"_ the aged voice scoffed. _"Hold out for a little more… you've almost reached it.."_

' _I don't get what you're saying…'_

" _What are Servants, girl?"_

' _Spirits of the dead who have made their mark on history and have been brought back.'_

" _And are you not dying?'_

Musashi's eyes snapped upwards. Through the world around her was dark, Yagyu Munenori's figure still stood over her. A firm hand on her back before a sigh came from her side.

" _Oh please, Musashi,"_ Shuten's voice broke through the dark. _"Aren't you the Musashi who reached Zero? Please, you got two scratches and you're already on the brink of death?"_

" _Come now…"_ a third voice murmured and hands cupped her cheeks. Musashi's face was brought upwards and she gazed into the kind eyes of a woman who she had never met before. Her dark hair spilled across her shoulders and she gently held Musashi's face. _"You're Musashi. My daughter… the strongest Swordsman alive..."_

" _It's time we go, Musashi Miyamoto,"_ Yagyu said, holding a hand out. _"If you're strong enough, and your mother certainly thinks you are, you'll pull back."_

Musashi closed her eyes, taking a rattling breath, before she grasped Yagyu's hand and she felt herself drift away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Shiro's way to becoming a "Living" Servant was different, but like. Musashi was already marked down in the Root anyways. Technical BS and also I wanted to get creative! Anyways, we're winding down to the last chapters and I'm excited.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in finals week, and it's horrible. But I have more free time since classes are just. Not existing. So yeah, a chapter on time? More likely than you think.

They were losing.

That much was obvious to Kyojuro as he struggled to keep fatal strikes from landing. His body felt like it was even more on fire than before, if that was a mix of grief and anger combined with the poison that certainly was pumping through his body, he didn't know.

Kocho had fallen back to do first aid, attacking when strikes got too close, but no more than that. Tokito had been simply batted off to the side, and he wasn't sure _where_ the boy had landed. Kanroji had been taken out of the fight when her arm had been torn and Iguro had taken her to other Slayers outside.

But Kyojuro couldn't give that much thought as he flipped over one of Muzan's strikes. His eyes narrowed as he flipped over Muzan, striking from above only to be rebuffed.

Shuten was still sitting on the Pagoda railing above them, unmoving and more amused to watch than anything.

Kyojuro's eyes flickered to where two Slayers were hurriedly tending to Musashi before going back to Muzan as Tanjirou and Genya both struck.

It didn't matter how much they attacked, Muzan was regenerating like crazy.

' _We're… not going to last until dawn like this!'_

The Flame Pillar gripped his swords as he felt blood dripping from his mouth and nose.

So much for Shuten's training it seemed.

He kicked off the ground, rushing Muzan alongside of Iguro before everything seemed to freeze.

Above them, a cat leaped through the hole in the Pagoda ceiling, over a hundred stories up. It gazed at them before the pack on its back opened up and vials shot out from it. Kyojuro stopped in his tracks, feeling something sharp prick his arm and he looked down, seeing a vial— no, it was certainly a syringe— from the cat in his arm.

"What—" he uttered before he felt a familiar sensation washing over him.

"Poison cures poison, darling!" Shuten's voice rang out, "Now! Entertain me more~"

Kyojuro felt his smile returning as he firmly planted his feet in the ground. That's right. Shuten's poison was stronger than anything else, it could melt flesh and bone and leave nothing in return. It would corrode any other poison and bring even the strongest being to their knees— and the Slayers had built up a resistance to it.

"Not sure what happened but I think that one hired a stray cat to save us!" Iguro yelled as Tokito leaped from the rubble.

Muzan had torn parts of the Pagoda apart, broken pillars but no matter what, it didn't bend or break. Red-painted wood splintered and showered down on them as they advanced.

The progenitor of all demons was shaking though, full of barely contained rage before he launched all of his appendages at them.

"DON'T STRUGGLE IN VAIN!" He snarled, "JUST DIE LIKE MEN, YOU OBSESSED FREAKS!"

They barely had time to dodge as he lashed out. Kyojuro twisted out of the way and reignited his other sword with a huff. He slashed and cut through one of Muzan's tentacles as he felt the heat of the flames and the light dance across the blade.

Gunshots rang out as Genya attacked from his hidden position, darting from place to place as he and Tanjirou slashed at any tentacles that made attempts to latch onto pillars in order to haul Muzan higher.

Shuten sat unmoving above them, her eyes glowing while she grinned down at them.

And then it happened.

Like Shinazugawa's sword before, Iguro's sword suddenly glowed a bright and burning red and the Snake Pillar stopped moving, as if his entire body had seized up.

"IGURO!" Tokito's voice cried out as one of Muzan's tentacles raced towards him. Tomioka kicked off the ground from where the Water Pillar was next to the Flame Pillar— rocketing towards the other before he slashed in an attempt to protect him.

Distracted, Kyojuro startled when small hands grabbed his arm and pulled him from another tentacle before it was slashed off.

It took him a second before it clicked.

Those children were here!

Kyojuro's eyes widened as Kano let go of his arm before leaping back into battle. She made a move to attack again with Inosuke and Zenitsu. Muzan's eyes flicked around before he swung his arms and the tentacles. The papers that had been attached to the three were severed and Zenitsu screamed a bit.

"AAAGHHH! I _HATE_ THIS!" he cried as Kano grit her teeth and Inosuke insulted Muzan ("little maggot" was what he called him and Kyojuro would later look back on it and laugh).

"You're all alive!" Tokito cried as he dodged a strike.

"LIKE HELL I'D DIE, DUMBASS!" Inosuke said before he threw a bunch of the the papers around. "AND I PICKED UP A WHOLE LOT OF THESE! NO MATTER HOW MANY GET CUT, I GOT A TON— WAAAAIII!"

The boar-headed boy was cut off as he dodged an attack. Kyojuro spared a glance back to Musashi, who was still knelt, gripping her sword with a vice grip. There had been no movement, but the blood had stopped— still, he feared the worst.

He shook his head, eyes back on Muzan as he focused, Iguro attacking in one fluid movement— cutting all of his appendages from the body.

Muzan's eyes widened before his face twisted into one a fury and he moved to regenerate… only for his arms to do so at a snails pace.

"So when Muzan gets cut by a red blade," Kyojuro murmured, "His regeneration slows down! Just like with the upper Moon! Himejima!" he called and the blind man nodded, seeming to easily pick up on his own thoughts.

The larger Pillar shifted, throwing his axe and iron ball forwards and forcing them to clang together. He repeated the motion as Kyojuro leaped forwards and both weapons glowed with a red color. Himejima hurled the iron ball at Muzan, taking out a chunk in his chest.

"TOMIOKA! TOKITO!" Kyojuro yelled and both younger Pillars turned, converging towards him as both of their Slayer Marks reappeared with brighter glows. His own appeared, a pair of scarlet flames decorating his forehead and cheek, before he clashed swords with the both of them.

As soon as the four swords made impact, red flooded the colored blades and they broke apart, moving to attack again.

"CAWW! ONE HOUR AND THREE MINUTES UNTIL DAWN!" a crow donning one of the paper talismans cawed from above.

"That's more than enough time…" Genya snarled as he dropped down, both swords in hand and he clashed them together. "We'll tear you to shreds, Muzan!"

(X)

Shuten knew she wouldn't be able to keep the pagoda up for very long, with how much damage it sustained. Really, she only wanted to buy time. She could have used the full extent of the grail to keep it up, but she had other plans for it.

She hadn't used _father_ yet, after all.

When she and that demon boy had forced Muzan's little fortress to the surface, Shuten had initially planned to just destroy him then and there. But seeing that determination and drive in the eyes of her little Slayers?

Even if they despised her for this, she couldn't help it. She staid above them and watched as they fought. She watched as the lower ranks were slaughtered, becoming shields for the Pillars. She watched as Musashi was injected with a lethal amount of Muzan's blood— so much that even her own poison would have been too slow to save her. She watched as the Pillars struggled and fought, as those children arrived and aided them.

But despite that, she knew that she couldn't keep the Pagoda up around them forever. She wanted to use _father,_ but more importantly she had a promise to fulfill for that Ubuyashiki man.

She didn't break her promises.

So she planned on disassembling the Pagoda before it could sap the Holy Grail copy she had of its energy. Not that it would, this was a building, not another Servant.

Still, as she watched the battle below her, she hadn't expected Muzan to lash out with that much and force the pagoda down when all the Slayers vanished from her sight. Talk about throwing a temper tantrum.

"Oh my…" the Oni murmured as the Pagoda groaned under the strain. That was all the sign she needed.

With a flick of her hand, the entire building started to shake and disassemble. Parts that were made solely of condensed mana vanished while physical parts came crashing down.

She would rather that the Slayers and other Corps members only have to worry about a bit of falling debris than an entire, two hundred stories worth of debris.

The Oni kicked off of the crumbling rubble and vaulted upwards. Above the city, she gazed down at Muzan as he swung wildly in order to keep what remained of the Pagoda from hitting him. As the building finished falling and the dust settled, she felt her lips drawing into a fine line as she took in the damage he had done.

She had such high hopes for her little Slayers.

Though perhaps she had underestimated Muzan.

He was, in fact, a being who was going to struggle until the very end. And those that fought in order to survive were certainly the scariest— she would know. She had done so in her last moments.

She sighed softly as she gazed at those who remained standing.

Tanjirou and Kyojuro stood alone in front of Muzan, swords drawn and bloodied. The Slayers and those ninja-like members ( _Kakushi_ or something) of the Corps who were on the outside were gazing in shock and fear.

Shuten shook her head as she landed atop of one of the ruined buildings, gazing around passively again. That Genya boy and the snake boy had been thrown into a building across the way, Kocho and that Water Pillar tossed to another— the Water Pillar's arm severed as he lay with his body shielding Kocho. That Mist boy and the other children had been tossed and scattered, injured and unable to move.

Her eyes gazed downwards, narrowing just slightly as she saw the familiar green _happi_ her _favorite_ Pillar wore. She made a move to jump down before a sudden spike in energy made her head jerk up. Anyone who was still conscious did as well, looking around as the pressure increased.

Her lips curled upwards as she felt it settling and a column of violet light exploded from a pile of rubble.

"MUZAN!"

Standing there, free of wounds was Musashi. Her eyes were blazing as her _furisode_ -like sleeves billowed behind her.

Well, she was certainly more decorated and geared up than she previously was— having been wearing just her simple, sleeveless, altered style of blue kimono and red obi prior.

Shuten raised a brow. "Mm? So she's fully awakened…" she murmured as her eyes landed on what could only be described as a fading spirit.

' _So she carries the weight of that Saber's soul as well?'_

Her lips quirked upwards again. "Well. I'll let Musashi have her fun for a bit."

(x)

Musashi knew that she hadn't reached the status of a Servant before arriving in this world.

Though the events from Shimousa certainly engraved her name into the throne, despite the split version from herself and the more commonly recorded Musashi Miyamoto, she had not reached that point yet.

Certainly, there were Servants that existed without needing to die in order to make their way to the Throne. And from what she understood, the Throne would gladly choose whatever and whoever it wanted in order to do as it pleased. That was simply the way that the Throne and the Grail functioned.

And when she felt the effects of Muzan's poison and the blood that it was made up of, she felt her confidence slipping.

Had she done enough, truly? Was she even going to be recorded in the Throne?

And if she died here and _did_ become a Servant, to what point would be if she didn't come right back?

She felt useless, she had gotten so far and hadn't been of any help against Muzan.

There was no real way to describe what it felt like dying and then coming back as a Servant. Just that it was strange and she felt stronger when she opened her eyes.

Of course, she opened her eyes to dead silence and a rush of sudden energy.

She kicked the rubble that was covering her up and off as she got to her feet, her _mana_ exploding outwards and condensing into a column of raw energy around her. She was certainly dressed differently than before and she could see with her _**Heavenly Eye**_ fully now. Her gaze landed on Tanjirou and Kyojuro, standing ready to face Muzan head on alone.

Bodies were strewn about and she felt her rage reignite as she tightened her grip on _Myoujingiri._

"MUZAN!" She snarled as the column of condensed _mana_ dissipated. The Demon's eyes widened before he snarled back and she lunged forwards.

She rocketed past Tanjirou and Kyojuro, eyes blazing as she did.

She could feel the magic and power of the Throne pumping through her veins and, in truth, it was almost overwhelming. But still, she pressed onwards, deflecting and dodging Muzan's attacks easily.

And then she began her counter attack.

She had a plan, one that she was certain wouldn't fail now that she was even stronger than before.

The only problem was that she needed Shuten's help for the latter part. And that she had no clue how this would affect her Rayshifting problem. She could feel the thrumming of magic under her skin as whispers of other worlds returned to her ears. She shook them off, ducking under one of Muzan's tentacles before she slashed upwards.

She sucked in a breath before she narrowed her eyes, putting one of her swords away and gripping _Myoujingiri_ with both hands.

She began with _Tachi Seiho_ 's first twelve forms.

_Sassen, Hasso Hidari, Hasso Migi, Uke Nagashi Hidari, Moji Gamae, Haritsuke, Nagashi Uchi, Tora Buri, Kazuki, Aisen Uchidome, Amashi Uchi._

As she connected the twelve forms, she felt her blood rush with each completed. She grinned, making Muzan falter a bit. She took advantage of that, attacking and dodging what she could and cleaving as many appendages from Muzan as possible. She ignored the pain in her body when she was struck and she kept moving forwards.

Tanjirou and Kyojuro caught on, weaving in and out of her movements and connecting their own forms slowly— only just enough to keep Muzan distracted. And that was enough, as Muzashi sheathed Muramasa's demon-slaying sword and drew two others, moving onto the seven _Kodachi Seiho_ and _Nito Seiho_ forms.

She couldn't think— she didn't _need_ to think— as she moved. Shuten entered her field of vision, grasping Musashi's _naginata_ in hand before the Oni drew her arm back. Musashi leaped up, swords put away as she reached out and Shuten threw the pole-arm weapon. The Saber grasped it, landing in a roll before she took off again, preparing to begin with the _Bōjutsu_ forms.

A Bō staff would have been preferable— but what use would that have been against Muzan? The blade of a _naginata_ would do more damage against him in the long run.

Still, it didn't matter. The energy and the general concept behind the twenty forms, once connected with the others, would be enough.

Her Noble Phantasm would be ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to stop mixing draft ideas and such with my notes. Luckily, this chapter doesn't have any notes that I wrote down that I can tell. 


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I meant to post this yesterday, but I had an extremely bad time the past two days because I had to spend time with my father, who left my family, his wife, and his side of the family due to America's Thanksgiving and the family's traditional after day breakfast. So I didn't get to editing until pretty late last night when I stopped feeling emotionally drained. I was watching the AOC stream which made me feel better. I hope you folks in America had a good thanksgiving day, though.

After Shuten threw Musashi her _naginata,_ she had landed silently in front of one of the ruined buildings. She hadn't had time to do anything yet, she had been too absorbed in the birth of a new Servant.

But still…

Violet eyes gazed down at the fallen form in front of her, ignoring the blood that was underfoot as she stepped forwards. She bent down first, fingers ghosting over the severed arm before she moved up, hands light until she reached the man's face.

Gyoumei Himejima was still alive— but barely. She didn't hesitate as she felt a sudden rush of rage course through her blood. It was strange, if one took time to think about it. Why would an Oni be this angry about a human life? But she didn't stop to think about it.

How dare he.

She brought her hand to her mouth, biting down hard until it bleed and tipped Gyoumei's head up. Blood dripped down his throat, blood that was as deadly as any poison, but as potent as any medicine. Not enough to change him from day to night, but enough to keep him alive until a real doctor arrived.

How dare he.

She stood back up, pealing her kimono off and tearing it to ribbons as she felt the seal on her body crack. She quickly tied the cloth around his severed arm to stop the blood flow, ignoring the startled _Kukashi_ behind her as she surged forwards.

She was selfish. She was an Oni.

The blind man's lips were cold and chapped, tasting metallic from blood and slightly sweet from her own.

**How dare he.**

She stood, feeling the tearing and ripping of her body as it grew and rearranged. Thin, veil-like material stretched over her body like an open-backed leotard, connecting over the metal coverings she wore. Her lips became stained red as a silken kimono curled around her waist. It was a deep violet, and her form stood taller, more developed— closer to her true form. Snake's scales glittered just under her skin as she summoned her gourds and sword to her.

_**How dare that insolent** _ **boy** _**touch what was hers.** _

She pushed from the ground with so much force it cracked the road under her and she soared above the buildings.

She made it to the battlefield in no time, her eyes watching as Musashi skillfully deflected Muzan's attacks, her _naginata_ nothing more than a silver flash as she moved. Kyojuro had been tossed to the side with that Sun boy, but he climbed out with nothing more than a grimace.

Shuten took all this in quickly, under ten seconds at most, before she landed, startling all those conscious at the sudden killing intent that burst forth. Musashi even slowed to a halt, eyes widening as she gazed at her.

Her lips curled into a cruel smile as Muzan's tentacles stopped moving and Musashi's swords lowered just slightly.

"Fufufu… to think that a bug would rear its head up towards the heel of the shoe that was going to crush it…" she said, eyes narrowed as she land. Muzan's eyes narrowed and slight recognition in them before his features schooled themselves.

"And who are you?" he asked, eyes flickering up to her horns.

"Daughter, or should I say _son,_ of Oorochi," she offered, "Ruler of Mount Ōe."

Muzan recoiled. He knew the name. Only a fool wouldn't, after all. Even with all the chaos that he had stowed across Japan, the name Shuten Dōji would still shake more to the core. It was known, remembered, and immortalized as one of Japan's three Great Climates— one of the three greatest threats to Japan's existence known by name.

Oni didn't care if it was a demon or a human they killed, and through the cells of others, Muzan had witnessed the ruthlessness and emulated it. But he could never become that.

So of course Muzan knew the name Shuten Douji, the Oni of Mount Ōe.

"I'm quite angry right now," she said as she stepped forwards, "So be a darling and roll over so I don't have to waste more energy with killing you."

"Don't bother with sullying your hands, Lord Dōji," Muzan spoke quickly, confidence in his voice as she just raised a brow. "This will be over soon."

"Oh?" She asked, lips curling upwards, "So you plan on making this quick and killing yourself for me?"

There was silence and he stared.

She tossed her head back and laughed. "Oh! You thought I was here to _help_ you? I'm soooooo sorry~" she looked back at him, eyes hard. "Let me say this in a way you can understand: Roll over and die, you pathetic bug."

The shock would have been enough to make her laugh if her emotions weren't so erratic. She wanted Muzan _dead_. More than anything else at this point.

She plunged her hand into her chest, pulling the Holy Grail out and raising it to the sky.

"Come to me, King of the Dark Mystics, the flesh of my flesh, the blood of my blood! You who brought the Sun to her knees and who stole the lives of countless warriors!" She chanted as the grail glowed.

The ground seemed to rumble before breaking apart as the head of a massive, dragon-like monster rose up under her feet. Musashi's draw dropped as seven other heads broke up from the ground around them.

"SHUTEN WHAT THE _FUCK!?"_

(x)

Musashi's exclamation went ignored as the Oni returned the Grail to its keeping place and glaring down at Muzan from atop of one of Oorochi's heads.

"How _dare_ you touch what was mine!" the Oni snarled, fangs bared. "You who claims to be the Lord of all who live among the dark, face your crimes for touching what belongs to the Lord of the Oni!"

Musashi and Kyojuro dove to the side as Shuten ordered Oorochi's attack, one of the eight heads diving down towards Muzan and the others snapping at him as he attempted to escape.

"What the hell is she doing?" Kyojuro yelled as he scooped Tanjirou up and dodged out of the way again.

"Hell if I know! She's lost it!" she shouted back as she ran, ducking to avoid the beast's massive tail as it used it to take a swing at Muzan. "But we have an hour until sunrise!"

"We should move the others and start getting them medical attention as soon as we can!" Tanjirou suggested, gazing over Kyojuro's shoulder as Oorochi roared. Shuten was certainly enraged, but Musashi couldn't figure out _why._

It couldn't have been because the Demon Slayers were beaten back like gnats in the summer heat, right?

Shuten wasn't like that.

She didn't care about humans— she was an Oni! One of the most notorious and dangerous among them, at that!

Musashi didn't understand it really, why the Oni would be so angry aside from the fact that she had finally met her opponent that she had loathed for so long. But even then…

The Saber hissed as she was jerked out of her thoughts by a nick from Muzan's bladed tentacles. The poison hardly phased her, but it was still a bit painful to get cut.

She scowled but managed to get over to where Tomioka and Kocho were. She scooped them both up, kicking off the ground as Oorochi's tail slammed down nearby and the eight-headed dragon roared. She held both of her fellow Slayers carefully before she landed by a bunch of _kukashi._

"Take care of the rest of the Pillars and the children who fought Muzan with them," she ordered, setting them down. "Get them as much medical attention as you can spare!"

"Yes, Pillar!" the four _Kukashi_ saluted before she took off again, Tanjirou landing where she had with Inosuke slung over his shoulder. Kyojuro was pulling Genya and Iguro from the rubble with a brave _Kukashi_ below him, catching the unconscious and now one-armed Shinazugawa gently as he was pulled out. The two of them then took off as well.

Musashi took a moment to gaze upwards at Shuten as she commanded Oorochi. Occasionally she would leave the head she was atop to strike and tear at Muzan with her own hands or her blade.

It didn't matter though, as Oorochi tore and ripped Muzan's libs off.

Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Muzan. She had known the moment she had reawakened as a Servant that her eyes sight had changed. When she gazed at Muzan, she could see his image flickering— she could see through his skin and his internal anatomy.

And she could see the unnatural amount of brains and hearts he possessed.

Because of he **r** _ **Heavenly Eye**_ , she could mentally figure out his natural regeneration time, his normal speed, and everything else. But now it was amplified upon being able to access the See-through world.

She had been told of the plan by Kocho beforehand.

Told how many drugs had been used to slow and destroy Muzan's cells.

Acceleration, turning him into a human, decomposition.

And of course… Shuten's own Phantasm.

Muzan was starting to slow down, and this was going to be played to their advantage.

Musashi, mind made up as she noticed Muzan slowing down, adjusted her grip on her swords, and she shot forwards. She used Oorochi and his nearly impenetrable scales as cover from Muzan as she got closer.

She twisted her body as she shot out from behind one of Oorochi's heads, staying low to the ground before she slashed at one of Muzan's regenerated limbs. She glared right back at the Demon as he glared down at her. He redirected a number of his limbs to attack her, but she had already shot behind Oorochi again.

It wasn't long before Kyojuro and Tanjirou caught on.

Soon, Muzan wasn't only forced to try and escape Oorochi's eight snapping heads, but he was the victim of a sort of guerrilla warfare from the three Slayers— and whatever Shuten decided to do for her attacks, be it slashes from her sword, tearing with her bare hands, or poison.

The Saber leaped up as Muzan made another attempt to knock Shuten from her perch. The Oni simply swung her blade in an arc, severing his tentacles with ease before Musashi's blades tore his legs. She cursed as the remaining tentacles all shot towards her as before the illusion of a silver snake cut through them. A stripped Haori and a flash of red was all she needed to recognize the Slayer who had rejoined the fight

"Welcome back to the fight, Iguro!" She said as she landed, the smaller Pillar landing next to her and she grimaced. Slashes across his face had rendered his eyes useless but she had no time to worry about it.

"No need for senseless chatter," the Snake Pillar said as his snake raised his head, tongue flickering out.

"I won't bother," she said as the two of them took off again and the boy nodded. "Stick close to Oorochi, I doubt Kaburamaru needs to tell you where he is."

"No," he uttered, "The giant snakeheads nearby won't shut up anyways."

She chuckled under her breath before she leaped up, landing on one of Oorochi's heads.

"What's your plan, darling?" Shuten asked and Musashi glanced over. The Oni seemed exhausted suddenly— as if a great weight on her shoulders was bearing down on her.

"Well, how long until sunrise?"

The Oni hummed, leaning back and gazing at the sky as one of Oorochi's heads slammed down on Muzan, only to get a mouth full of earth and stone as the Demon dodged the almost-god.

"Forty Minutes."

Musashi clicked her tongue. That was still too much time. She gazed back down at Muzan, frowning a bit as she noticed scars appearing on his body.

"How much energy does it take to keep Oorochi around?"

"Enough."

Musashi nodded. She didn't press why Shuten wasn't using the Grail to its full extent.

"Well," she continued, "For now, we beat him back. Your true form seems exhausting."

The Oni laughed softly before she sighed. "Perhaps you're right. Good luck."

She just nodded again before she took off, slashing at Muzan as he gazed around. Iguro struck next as Tanjirou flanked him, a dragon in the form of a blaze of flame and a silver snake side by side cleaved into Muzan.

Musashi landed before she kicked off the ground again, slashing at his arms as Kyojuro mirrored her from the other side.

Blood from both Demon and Slayer spattered the ground as the four of them leaped back.

A mistake on their part.

Muzan took that chance— while the heads of Oorochi were reared back and the Slayers were off his back— to escape the ring of serpent heads.

He used his remaining tentacles to give him more leverage and propel himself across the distance of the street in seconds.

"The bastard's fleeing!" Kyojuro yelled and Musashi shot between Oorochi's heads.

"I expected this! Don't let up, follow him!" she ordered before she kicked off the ground again. As Muzan ran, Musashi felt her blood boil as his feet trampled over the fallen bodies of the fallen Slayers. Flashes of the Slayers she trained in the past weeks entered her mind— Kinji, who had just turned nineteen, and Kanna, who had been able to stand up on her own feet and was one of the first that she sent through to Himejima.

There was Akemi and Anzu, twin sisters who were fighting for their parents and baby brother.

Mirai, who had just turned fourteen and had bravely taken a sword up in his hands.

Kaori and Tomoko. Kei and Riku. Tetsuya, Kaito, Setsuko, and Katsutoshi.

Musashi slammed her foot down, kicking up swords as she put her own away. She caught them, launching them at Muzan as she pressed forwards. Even when they shattered and Muzan turned, she didn't let up. Muzan flinched when they locked eyes, even when he shattered the other two swords that she threw at him.

And then descending from above, taking the distraction that Musashi had made, was Kocho. Her eyes blazing as she stabbed her blade, the sword a deep red, through Muzan's throat.

"MUZAN!" the girl screamed as she bore her sword deeper into his body. Poison dripped from the blade, a deep violet, swirling with pinks and greens. Muzan jerked, tentacles instantly rising up to stab at the girl as a print akin to the scales of a butterfly going up her arms. Her haori had been abandoned and her eyes blazing with anger. The Insect Pillar quickly drew her sword back and kicked off of Muzan's back before she could be attacked.

In that instant, flames erupted as Kyojuro and Musashi converged on Muzan— Musashi's Void Flame: Second Form, _Shimabara Hell_ danced with Kyojuro's _Rising Scorching Sun_ as a column of burning, red flames.

Tanjirou stuck from above with his own Sun Breathing and Iguro, donning a paper Talisman, struck from below.

They could not— would not— let up on Muzan. They couldn't afford to.

"THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES UNTIL DAWN!" a crow cried and Muzan's eyes changed. His arms returned to normal before suddenly swelling up.

Muzashi frowned, eyes narrowing. What was he planning to do?

She tensed, preparing for anything before his arm… went back to normal. Well, normal for him. Muzan's eyes widened and a look of furious confusion crossed his face.

"I'm sure you thought that there were only three drugs," Shuten's airy voice said from above before she seemed to crash down from above— sword piercing his throat as the Prognator of Demons vomited blood, eyes wide. She had returned to her former form though her kimono had stayed the same and the rage she held hadn't subsided.

"But it wasn't just that! Not three, not four, but six~ Oh, poor, poor Muzan~" she cooed, twisting her blade and pulling it out.

Muzan seemed frozen in place before his jaw clenched. He reared back and then, with a sudden explosion of energy, all of them were blasted back.

She couldn't see, couldn't breathe, or sense anything as she landed, face against the ground as her senses slowly came back.

Oh, gods.

It felt like breathing was impossible.

Was this it? Even as a servant, was this it?

Musashi couldn't control her body. Twitching, jerking, convulsing, it all tore through her body.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! She couldn't do shit even as a Servant? Her nails clawed at the dirt and she _couldn't breathe_.

Muzan was walking away, his back was to her.

Get up. Get the fuck up.

She needed to get up, fight, defend, and protect. She needed to finish this. She curled her hands, arms shaking as she forced herself up but the limbs wouldn't respond. She couldn't breathe.

There was a sudden flash and then Muzan had stopped in his tracks.

"You sure… got us back there… You're fucking dead," Genya snarled, his brother's sword secured to his arm with bandages and his own gripped tightly in his remaining hand. Inosuke was next to him, blades broken in half.

' _Dangerous— No, no— get out- go, leave!'_ Musashi wanted to scream, tell those two boys to run. Muzan's eyes flashed and the ground cracked… but nothing more.

His breath was heavy as Inosuke held his swords steady.

"They protected us," the Boar-headed boy started. "That Ball-Ball old man's arm. And the hanhan baori guy's arm got cut off too— and this guy and the little brat… and all those corpses everywhere are the buddies I ate my food with…"

"Give them back," Genya snarled. "Himejima-sama's arm. Tomioka-sama's arm. The lives. Give them back. And if you can't…"

His eyes glinted as his teeth elongated into fangs again. "Then you'll die a million times over to make up for it!"

Muzan lunged for the two boys, but they dodged, retaliating in rage only for Muzan to plunge his arm into the ground. It shot up, clamping around Inosuke as Genya was thrown to the side.

Musashi felt a scream escape her lips before she felt hands pressed against her back.

" _Get up, Woman! Those children need you, it's your duty to fight for them!"_

" _Are you not the woman who destroyed the pyre of revenge? Stand up, Musashi Miyamoto!"_

Like a bolt of lightning, Musashi felt the presence of two Servants she carved into memory to remember pushing her forwards. She shot to her feet, ignoring how her body screamed in protest, and took off. The other children had come out of the woodwork, attacking again, only to get beaten back, though it didn't last long as Musashi caught up to Muzan.

The Demon's eyes widened, seeing the wild and enraged look in the woman's blue eyes.

She slammed her swords into Muzan, sending him flying back against a building. She didn't give him time to retaliate as she shot forwards, plunging one sword through his chest, the other through one arm.

Muzan reared his other arm back, making a move to strike at her before his eyes widened and his body was jerked a bit.

Musashi glanced to the side, seeing Mitsuri— wonderful, strong, and loving Kanroji— holding his appendages back

"CUT IT OUT ALREADY!" She cried, tears falling from her eyes before she pulled, tearing the demon's arm and tentacles off. Muzan, with the last of his strength, made a move to attack Kanroji, only for the pink-and-green haired woman to get yanked back by Kocho.

"SHINOBOU!" Mitsuri cried as the small Insect Pillar took the brunt of the blow, despite having just gotten up from the shockwaves they had been inflicted with moments prior.

Genya's gun went off, roots taking form and tethering Muzan to the building as Musashi pressed her sword deeper into Muzan's chest. A stream of water flashed in the corner of her eye as Tomioka severed the remaining tentacles. Her heart pounded as Muzan jerked again, tilting his head back.

A slit formed down his face before it opened up. A disgusting maw of teeth bore down on her before a hand grasped her own and a second sword was brought up to block the gaping jaws.

"DON'T SURRENDER!" She heard Kyojuro order from behind her as he grasped her hand tighter, blood spattering them both as the two of them forced Muzan's jaws back, teeth digging into their arms. "THE DAWN IS ALMOST HERE!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for Shinobu


	31. Final Chapter (A)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have two chapters coming out for this that are identical except for the endings. You can choose which ending you want to consider canon for Breath of the Void :)

It was common knowledge that when an animal was backed into a corner, they would do anything they could to survive. As humans were, in fact, animals, they were no different.

And that meant that demons were no different.

As the sun started to creep above the horizon, Musashi knew this. The attacks would be getting even more ferocious.

Muzan's last, desperate act would be now.

So, she also made her choice.

She twisted, kicking Kyojuro in the stomach and sending him flying back.

The Flame Pillar's eyes widened as he was kicked into Kanroji, watching as Muzan sent shockwaves through the area around him, but Musashi held firm— even as Tomioka was flung back, leg severed at the knee. Even as the building shook and groaned. Blood spattered the ground as Musashi's head was jerked back, but she didn't let go of her sword.

Her eyes flickered from Kyojuro as he made a dash towards her, only to get yanked back by Genya and Kanroji to Shuten, who was standing still.

Shuten nodded and Musashi gazed back to Muzan, gripping her sword tighter.

"Eat shit and die," she snarled at Muzan before she drew a third sword, plunging it into his body as it expanded. She kicked off the ground, though it was clumsy and she barely had time to escape as Muzan expanded into what looked like a giant baby. She coughed blood when she landed, drawing her last sword alongside of _Myoujingiri_.

"Don't let him enter the shade!" She ordered as she stood, eyes blazing, "Do whatever you can to finish him, but don't waste your life!"

Nodding to Shuten again, she took off running. Baby-Muzan was crawling away, undeterred by what the other Slayers and _Kukashi_ were doing to stop him. Bookshelves and rubble crashed on top of him, and cars were driven into him, but he was unbothered.

She leaped up as Baby-Muzan was being held back by a tram car that the _Kukashi_ had pushed into his path. She moved to attack only for Tomioka to beat her to it, eyes blazing as he severed the demon's arm.

"Just turn into dust already!" the Water Pillar shouted, blood pouring from the wounds he had from the last attack. Shuten ran across the building's rooftops, eyes trained on the Demon before a chain wrapped around his neck.

Himejima's chain.

A cry from the Stone Pillar sounded as he tugged, feet planted firmly and beginning to pull Muzan back. He might have only had one arm, the other wrapped and tied with Shuten's kimono to staunch the bleeding, but he didn't waver in the slightest. His heels dug into the ground as he pulled and, quickly, Kanroji and Kyojuro grabbed the other ends of the chain, tugging as well. Iguro and Tanjirou flashed across the sky, cutting into Muzan's other arm, but still, it wasn't enough.

Musashi took a breath, finally in position as she dropped her other sword. She drew _Myoujingiri_ back, eyes hard.

"Fall back!" she ordered, making the other startle but Kyojuro's eyes widened, recognizing her stance. The Flame Pillar grabbed Kanroji and took off while Shuten leaped across the rooftops, grabbing Himejima by his collar and dragging him away as the _Kukashi_ scattered. The sound of a baby wailing echoed as Tanjirou scooped up Tomioka as he and Iguro got out of the way, Iguro quick to stop and pull Kocho's body against his as the Slayers and _Kukashi_ scaled the buildings to get out of the way. They all knew what was going on, what was going to happen.

" _ **Come hither, my roaring sword…."**_ She breathed, feeling mana condense around her. **"Namu. Tenmandaijzaitenjin. Now, I'll use everything that Musashi is!"**

She felt a swell of energy before light burst forth from her, her expression never changed as she took a breath. "Thank you for taking me this far, everyone…" she called, brows furrowed but a determined grin across her face.

" _ **The End of my Journey is at hand. My blade, my sword, it will certainly reach you!"**_ Thunder rolled as her signature _Nioh_ appeared, teeth bared in that ever-present snarl it always had and its swords raised. Musashi leaped forwards, swinging her blade down. Each strike against Muzan was like a blow from one of the swords. Nothing had changed, she was still Musashi Miyamoto.

" _ **I offer myself to Ishanaten! I will defeat you without fail! Before the Void! I stand! I place my trust in Tenjin of the Tenman Shrine, deity of absolute freedom. My Sword shall sever your spirit! This one Blade is my path of Emptiness, the culmination of my life!"**_

She shifted as she stepped back, bringing _Myoujingiri_ back again, holding it tightly as mana condensed around the blade, towering over them all as the sun rose and Muzan hissed and cried in pain. She let out a breath, eyes sharpening before she brought the sword downwards.

" _ **ISHANA! DAITENSHOU!"**_

Her hands guided the sword, filled with her belief and everything she had fought for in her life, down. She could feel the world around her, feel the hands of those she had lost, those she had fought, and those she had left behind helping her. The Demon Swordsmen, Old Man Tajima no Kami, Kojiro Sasaki, Amakusa Shirou— all of them. She could feel the lost lives of the Slayers, and of citizens. Their hands and spirits guiding her strike.

The dawn exploded into light as Musashi's phantasm cleaved the Progenitor of Demons in two, energy swirling around the area as bystanders were forced to look away.

It took a few moments for everything to settle down, the sun rising up and over the horizon.

Musashi stood there, arms by her side as she gazed up at the sky. Her sword had slipped from her hand as she panted, hands shaking.

Her heart was still pounding but she startled when a cry rose up from those around her.

"The battle isn't over!" she barked, though her throat felt dry and all she wanted to do was collapse where she was. "Stand up and tend to those injured. Keep it together!"

"Yes Pillar!" the _Kukashi_ nearest to her saluted before the area broke out into action. She let a breath out, feeling her legs give out under her before a strong arm caught her.

"Alright?" Kyojuro murmured as he held her up. She laughed weakly.

"I'm scared to move," she admitted, "I feel like if I do, I'll be spirited away."

He squeezed her shoulder. "The pull is back?" he asked her softly, worry laced in his voice.

"A bit… it's just… something that seems to be calling, but not forceful…"

He held onto her tightly. "I promise that I won't let you vanish so easily… and if you do, I'll follow you anywhere. I promise. I didn't drink Grail Juice for nothing, after all!"

She took a breath but nodded. "Yes. Right. Thank you," she said before she grinned a bit. "Sorry about kicking you."

He just laughed. "Don't be! I'm stronger than I look!" he said, slowly dropping to the ground as well.

There was a beat of silence.

"Wait what do you mean 'Grail Juice'—"

"Ah! Look!" Kyojuro said quickly, head turned as he gazed at the others. She huffed, but followed his gaze, looking over his shoulder.

It was bittersweet, to say the least. Tokito was crying and hugging onto Genya, who was holding onto him in return, the two shaken but alive as Inosuke and Zenitsu held onto the two of them as well.

Nezuko had arrived sometime in the chaos, she and her brother and Kano sobbed and clung to each other. Kanroji and Iguro were holding onto each other, but the Love Pillar was sobbing, holding onto Kocho's hand, the Insect Pillar having been killed when she took that strike for her. Tomioka was being treated nearby by a few _Kukashi_ , eyes hazy and unfocused.

She closed her eyes for a moment, turning her head and looking up at the rooftops. Shuten stood there, gazing up at the sun before she let out a breath. Himejima was sitting behind her, eyes closed as he too soaked in the sun's rays. Shuten reached into her chest, pulling the Holy Grail from her body and holding it up to the light.

Musashi couldn't hear what the Oni said, but suddenly she felt lighter. She felt her grip in her hand returning, the murmuring and pull from the Throne silenced. Kyojuro's grip on her tightened as he turned, gazing over to where Shuten stood. The Grail in her hands glowing golden and then it clicked.

"She used it to heal those still alive here…" Musashi murmured as Himejima's head rose. He turned his head towards the Oni as the Grail vanished. Shuten closed her eyes, taking a breath before she smiled and Musashi's eyes widened. Golden flecks of light danced in the sun as Shuten's kimono fluttered in the breeze.

The Oni turned, giving Musashi a nod— her promise had been fulfilled— before she blinked, looking down as a hand grasped hers, Himejima gazing up at her with a frown on his face. Musashi didn't hear the words exchanged between them, but the grin that Shuten gave the Rock Pillar was genuine— almost human.

And then she faded to nothing, Himejima grasping at air before he lowered his hand.

Musashi felt a deep sorrow in her chest and she turned, resting against Kyojuro and allowing Himejima his privacy as the monk's tears flowed.

(x)

The aftermath had been… busy to say the least.

The following days after the final battle were all filled with rehabilitation and reunions.

Even though Shuten had used the Holy Grail to save them from death and to remove the damage that the Curse from the Slayer Marks caused to their bodies, injuries still remained. Limbs had been severed— legs needed replacements or those who had lost legs needed crutches— and there had been an insane amount of blood lost, so medical treatments had been a top priority

Of the Pillars, Ubuyashiki had counted it as a blessing that only two had perished, though Tomioka had been touch and go for a very long time afterward.

Genya and Aoi, along with the other children of the Butterfly Estate were preparing for a funeral for their siblings, Lady Amane helping them along the way. Funeral preparations were taking up a lot of time, along with rebuilding the damage caused.

The boy that had been with Tamayo, Yushirou, had taken off without a word, according to Tanjirou.

Shinjuro and Ubuyashiki handled explanations and negotiations with the government, which had been another trial to deal with. Musashi had heard a lot of yelling, seeing how she and Himejima had been the ones to escort the Master and former-flame Pillar to the Government Building.

Speaking of the now-former Rock Pillar (seeing how the Corps was disbanded), Musashi nearly jumped out of her skin when she first saw him again. Leave it to Shuten to throw a surprise into the mix, and Himejima had chuckled softly when she had uttered that. Still, those bright, violet irises seemed to fit him for a reason she couldn't explain.

More and more things kept happening as time went on and before anyone knew it, three months had passed. The City had been rebuilt and people were adjusting to their new lives.

Musashi was also adjusting, as stretched her back out and yawned, gazing up at the sky with a hum.

She turned, hearing footsteps, and smiled as Nezuko ran up to her.

"Good morning, Nezuko," she greeted as the once-demon hugged her.

"Good morning, onee-san!" she said happily, "Where did you go?"

Musashi hummed, patting her head before she took her hand, following the girl down the road. "Just out for a walk," she said as the girl giggled.

"You escaped, is what you did! Bad, Onee-san!" she laughed and Musashi did as well.

"I'm sure Mitsuri'll give me a lecture about it," she assured the girl, "As will Lady Amane."

The girl puffed her cheeks but grinned a bit as they approached the door to the newly built Ubuyashiki estate. Hinaki and Nichika, the elder set of the Ubuyashiki Twins, waved to them, smiling brightly when they saw them.

"Musashi-Onee, Mother's going to scold you," Nichika said, taking Musashi's other hand and pulling her inside, her sister pushing Musashi's back. The Saber just laughed lightly, allowing the three girls to take her down a hall in the estate.

Kiriya poked his head out from another room, Kanta and Kuina peering out over him and waving as their sisters and Nezuko passed.

There was all sorts of noise around and in the Estate, people running around and talking.

"Musashi's back!" Nezuko announced as she opened a door and she instantly winced as Kanroji lightly hit her over the head with her sword.

"You wandered off again!" she huffed as Amane shook her head. Hinaki and Nichika both giggled as they closed the door, Musashi rubbed the back of her neck.

"I can't help it," she sighed but smiled as Nezuko let go of her hand and Kanroji pushed her over to a chair.

"Well, start helping it!" she huffed, "Honestly, if you keep vanishing like that, we'll never figure out how to do your hair for tonight! _Tonight,_ Musashi!"

The youngest Kamado sibling and the eldest two Ubuyashiki siblings left with waves, leaving the three women in the room. Musashi waved to them as she laughed a bit again, settling in the chair as Amane walked over with a hairbrush.

"At least you sit still when you arrive," she hummed and Kanroji nodded in agreement as she turned to pull something from the wardrobe.

The room lapsed into quiet as Musashi closed her eyes. Amane hummed softly, brushing through her hair as Kanroji moved a few things around on the western-styled vanity in front of them.

"Hey, Amane," Musashi asked, "What was your wedding day like?"

Amane's movements stopped as she thought. "Very formal and traditional," she said after a moment. "Very unlike what yours will be— though in fairness, both Kagaya and I were very young when we were married. And Kagaya is certainly milder than Kyojuro, isn't he?"

Musashi laughed softly, nodding. "Totally."

"You don't need to be super stiff though," Kanroji chirped, "I mean, it's okay to be nervous. How lovely that we're going to have two weddings this month~"

She felt her cheeks heat up as the former Love Pillar began to paint her lips.

"It is, isn't it," Amane agreed, resuming her work. "And most certainly a miracle."

(x)

Gyoumei found her in what had been her training grounds four months prior.

It had been startling, for sure, to see someone who had vanished without a trace three months ago.

He had simply stepped out for some air, gazing up at the sky as the celebratory reception continued inside. Sooner or later, it would disperse, but the night was still quite young. So he had decided to take a walk to clear his head from the alcohol Uzui had insisted on him drinking.

He had been turning back to head back to the Rengoku Estate when he saw it, a splash of purple against the darkness of the night. He moved towards it and there she was, sitting against the rock she had normally perched on and gazing up at the sky.

As if she had never left.

He had been surprised when, at the end of That Battle, the darkness cleared up. In truth, he had a headache for the next few weeks and had stayed in darker spaces and helped at night until he readjusted.

It had been, in a word, interesting.

"Not joining in on the festivities, darling?" Shuten asked as he stepped out from the bamboo. He only hummed, sitting down next to her. No 'hello' no 'sorry I vanished' from the Oni, just a simple question. But he had to admit it, he missed the Oni's light tone and constant usage of 'darling'.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said simply and the Oni laughed.

"Well, it certainly would be a way to make an entrance," she told him before she hummed. "Though I _should_ give Kyojuro and Musashi a congratulations— skipped the engagement and all of that. Though they might as well have been engaged all the way through that Battle. But, I'm technically an enemy now."

Well. She wasn't wrong. Many would argue that now that the common enemy was gone, what would hold her back from killing them next?

Shuten Dōji would be considered the number one enemy to humans now—with her appetite for all sorts of things and the past actions she had taken against humans. She was powerful, stronger than Muzan if she wanted to be, but…

She was more controlled.

In the past, she had eaten a few meals with him and Genya, and she certainly had her fair share of meals at the Rengoku family table. She had no trouble eating normal food.

Shuten Dōji had full control over in her urges to eat humans. The fact that she was sitting next to him without needing to tear his throat out and drink his blood was a testament to that.

"I wouldn't say so," he said finally and she raised a brow, glancing over to him finally. "As long as you don't become like Muzan, I do not think you will be hunted."

Shuten stared at him before she laughed, shaking her head. "Perhaps you're right, darling."

Gyoumei nodded, falling silent for a moment.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, breaking the silence and he blinked, glancing over to her as she handed him a dish of _sake_. He took it, gazing into the red drinkweare. His reflection gazed back at him, deep violet irises newly created and adjusting to the world around him.

"I suppose," he answered after a moment. "I think it's the same thing on many of the others' minds."

"Hmmm~?"

Gyoumei glanced back to see Shuten leaning on her cheek on her hand, gazing at him with a mischievous smile on her lips. She knew what he meant, but she wanted him to say it. So he did.

"Where did you vanish to? Why use the Holy Grail for something like saving a couple humans?"

Shuten hummed, leaning against him a bit and he watched her. Her gaze lingered on where his arm had been, her expression entirely unreadable before she shrugged a bit.

"I left for Ōe," she started, "The root of my power exists there, after all. Without the Holy Grail, Servants normally can't stay in the world of the Living. I would assume it's based on the amount of magical energy or something of the sort." She shrugged again as she took a drink of _sake_. "Here, apparently, it's not the case. I certainly was weak and had to vanish for a while, and it took a lot of… time to appear again, but instead of a Grail or a person, I became tied to this land… though that's only what I understand from it. I chose not to bother or think on it."

He nodded slowly before she reached up, lightly poking his cheek. "Did you like my gift, darling?"

He blinked but nodded slowly again. "It was… surprising," he said before he frowned. "Ah, but you didn't—"

"Answer your other question, I know," she said calmly before she stretched her legs out. "Let's see… your Master had asked me to before I had even decided to do anything about it initially. And then Musashi asked me about it too, so I promised I'd try." She pat his leg with a slight grin. "Despite how despicable we are, many Oni don't break their promises. I'm one of them"

"Besides," she continued, "I _am_ an Oni. Not a Demon. I wanted Muzan dead, yes, but I happen to quite like a few of you at least. A shame about that angry boy's brother, though, and that sweet little butterfly…"

She rested her head against his arm before she sat up and tugging him down. Gyoumei startled slightly but allowed the Oni to place his head in her lap, shifting to get comfortable. Her slender fingers threaded through his hair as she hummed.

He supposed her explanation made sense.

She had simply kept a promise. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Though I admit, I didn't expect the Grail to go as far as it did."

"Hm?"

He blinked before scrunching his nose up when she lightly poked him between the eyes. He turned, gazing up at her as she laughed a bit.

"Your eyes are certainly a lovely shade of violet. I had thought they would be brown or black, not matching my own," she cooed. "I'll tell you a secret, my lovely Rock Pillar, Oni are greedy about everything. It's our nature. We're the worst of the worst, after all, and when something threatens that, we fight back twice as strong as the threat. If there are two things we want? We make sure we take both."

Her hands were lightly threading through his hair again as he listened, the sounds of partying and celebrating nothing but background noise.

"If you want a different answer from what I already gave you," she said, tapping the scar on his forehead. "Then I was willing to go so far because Muzan was a threat to what _I_ wanted."

Gyoumei wasn't a stupid man. Nor was he an oblivious one. He had known for a while that Shuten was oddly fixated on him. He had never bothered to think about how he had felt about that in-depth.

He had been wary and peeved at first— why him of all people?— but he had begrudgingly accepted it.

And then that final fight had happened. That fight that decided everything.

He had been somewhere between consciousness and death when he felt his entire being shaken to the core. A sudden, close burst of anger and bloodlust suddenly being released, blood dripping down his throat— and then lips on his. The taste of sake on his lips before everything faded.

"As I said, I'm selfish," Shuten said, lightly tapping his nose with a grin. "So when Muzan decided that he wanted to kill you, I wasn't going to let that slide easily~ Ah, but don't worry~ humans belong with humans, after all. I'm more than content with just being like this."

He lightly bat her hand from his nose, letting out a soft huff and she laughed, head tilted back. "But no matter what happens~ You'll still be my darling~ so don't go and get hurt, okaaay~?"

The relation between a Human and an Oni would be shaky at best, and in no way would he ever dream of attempting any sort of romance, but he supposed he didn't mind an almost all-powerful oni being a bit possessive over him.

So, Gyoumei just laughed a bit at that. "I'll try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like I said, I have another chapter going up at the same time, and you can choose which ending you prefer as the BOTV canon. Thank you all so much for reading and, while it won't be up immediately, I do have a few extra stories to join this series. Anyways, thank you again, and stick around for the other final Chapter.


	32. Final Chapter (B)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have two chapters coming out for this that are identical except for the endings. You can choose which ending you want to consider canon for Breath of the Void :)

It was common knowledge that when an animal was backed into a corner, they would do anything they could to survive. As humans were, in fact, animals, they were no different.

And that meant that demons were no different.

As the sun started to creep above the horizon, Musashi knew this. The attacks would be getting even more ferocious.

Muzan's last, desperate act would be now.

So, she also made her choice.

She twisted, kicking Kyojuro in the stomach and sending him flying back.

The Flame Pillar's eyes widened as he was kicked into Kanroji, watching as Muzan sent shockwaves through the area around him, but Musashi held firm— even as Tomioka was flung back, leg severed at the knee. Even as the building shook and groaned. Blood spattered the ground as Musashi's head was jerked back, but she didn't let go of her sword.

Her eyes flickered from Kyojuro as he made a dash towards her, only to get yanked back by Genya and Kanroji to Shuten, who was standing still.

Shuten nodded and Musashi gazed back to Muzan, gripping her sword tighter.

"Eat shit and die," she snarled at Muzan before she drew a third sword, plunging it into his body as it expanded. She kicked off the ground, though it was clumsy and she barely had time to escape as Muzan expanded into what looked like a giant baby. She coughed blood when she landed, drawing her last sword alongside of _Myoujingiri_.

"Don't let him enter the shade!" She ordered as she stood, eyes blazing, "Do whatever you can to finish him, but don't waste your life!"

Nodding to Shuten again, she took off running. Baby-Muzan was crawling away, undeterred by what the other Slayers and _Kukashi_ were doing to stop him. Bookshelves and rubble crashed on top of him, and cars were driven into him, but he was unbothered.

She leaped up as Baby-Muzan was being held back by a tram car that the _Kukashi_ had pushed into his path. She moved to attack only for Tomioka to beat her to it, eyes blazing as he severed the demon's arm.

"Just turn into dust already!" the Water Pillar shouted, blood pouring from the wounds he had from the last attack. Shuten ran across the building's rooftops, eyes trained on the Demon before a chain wrapped around his neck.

Himejima's chain.

A cry from the Stone Pillar sounded as he tugged, feet planted firmly and beginning to pull Muzan back. He might have only had one arm, the other wrapped and tied with Shuten's kimono to staunch the bleeding, but he didn't waver in the slightest. His heels dug into the ground as he pulled and, quickly, Kanroji and Kyojuro grabbed the other ends of the chain, tugging as well. Iguro and Tanjirou flashed across the sky, cutting into Muzan's other arm, but still, it wasn't enough.

Musashi took a breath, finally in position as she dropped her other sword. She drew _Myoujingiri_ back, eyes hard.

"Fall back!" she ordered, making the other startle but Kyojuro's eyes widened, recognizing her stance. The Flame Pillar grabbed Kanroji and took off while Shuten leaped across the rooftops, grabbing Himejima by his collar and dragging him away as the _Kukashi_ scattered. The sound of a baby wailing echoed as Tanjirou scooped up Tomioka as he and Iguro got out of the way, Iguro quick to stop and pull Kocho's body against his as the Slayers and _Kukashi_ scaled the buildings to get out of the way. They all knew what was going on, what was going to happen.

" _ **Come hither, my roaring sword…."**_ She breathed, feeling mana condense around her. **"Namu. Tenmandaijzaitenjin. Now, I'll use everything that Musashi is!"**

She felt a swell of energy before light burst forth from her, her expression never changed as she took a breath. "Thank you for taking me this far, everyone…" she called, brows furrowed but a determined grin across her face.

" _ **The End of my Journey is at hand. My blade, my sword, it will certainly reach you!"**_ Thunder rolled as her signature _Nioh_ appeared, teeth bared in that ever-present snarl it always had and its swords raised. Musashi leaped forwards, swinging her blade down. Each strike against Muzan was like a blow from one of the swords. Nothing had changed, she was still Musashi Miyamoto.

" _ **I offer myself to Ishanaten! I will defeat you without fail! Before the Void! I stand! I place my trust in Tenjin of the Tenman Shrine, deity of absolute freedom. My Sword shall sever your spirit! This one Blade is my path of Emptiness, the culmination of my life!"**_

She shifted as she stepped back, bringing _Myoujingiri_ back again, holding it tightly as mana condensed around the blade, towering over them all as the sun rose and Muzan hissed and cried in pain. She let out a breath, eyes sharpening before she brought the sword downwards.

" _ **ISHANA! DAITENSHOU!"**_

Her hands guided the sword, filled with her belief and everything she had fought for in her life, down. She could feel the world around her, feel the hands of those she had lost, those she had fought, and those she had left behind helping her. The Demon Swordsmen, Old Man Tajima no Kami, Kojiro Sasaki, Amakusa Shirou— all of them. She could feel the lost lives of the Slayers, and of citizens. Their hands and spirits guiding her strike.

The dawn exploded into light as Musashi's phantasm cleaved the Progenitor of Demons in two, energy swirling around the area as bystanders were forced to look away.

It took a few moments for everything to settle down, the sun rising up and over the horizon.

Musashi stood there, arms by her side as she gazed up at the sky. Her sword had slipped from her hand as she panted, hands shaking.

"It's over," she breathed, gazing back at Muzan's form as it crumbled away."You've lived long enough. Now it's time to go. Nothing can stay in this world forever. Immortality doesn't exist for those who were once human. The created immortality we force is painful and never without a price…"

As the progenitor of demons crumbled away into dust, she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. Her heart was still pounding but she startled when a cry rose up from those around her. Her eyes snapped open and she looked over her shoulder.

"The battle isn't over!" she barked, though her throat felt dry and all she wanted to do was collapse where she was. Despite her Servant Status as a Saber now, she was exhausted. "Stand up and tend to those injured. Keep it together!"

"Yes Pillar!" the _Kukashi_ nearest to her saluted before the area broke out into action. She let a breath out, gazing back up at the sky as she felt the familiar tug in her chest growing. The morning clouds that had started to drift across the sky broke up as the sky itself seemed to open up.

Shuten suddenly landed next to Musashi, humming.

"Heading out?" the Oni asked softly, Musashi's discarded swords in hand as footsteps sounded around them. The _Kukashi_ and remaining Slayers alike moving to help and assist where they could. Musashi nodded to her, taking the blades with a sigh. The tug from the Grail was getting stronger by the moment. As soon as she reached the status of Servant, it had returned to her. It was inevitable that she was to end up going.

"If it's what I have to do, I will do it," she said simply as she put them away and the Oni hummed.

"Well, leave the rest to me then. Your Servant status should have negated that curse, but I'll take care of the other Slayers. Just leave the rest to me."

"I will," she said with a slight laugh and then Shuten was gone, gone off to who knows where as long as she wasn't caught up in what was going to happen. A golden light began to envelop Musashi. There was a low roaring in her ears as she bent down, picking _Myoujingiri_ up slowly.

"I'm sorry…" she murmured, gazing up at the sky again. She shouldn't have been surprised, she already knew that it would come to this.

But it was hard.

So many years of being in one spot made her sad to leave.

Ah… and there was Kyojuro and the others too…

She bit back a sudden urge to cry at the thought of her beloved Flame Pillar. Gods it _hurt_ so much more than any other time she had left another world.

She squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to cry as she felt the familiar tug of _Rayshift_ before a lout shout sounded across the wreckage of the city.

"Musa-SHI!"

Her eyes snapped open as a form tackled her. She startled, hands instinctively grasping onto the Flame Pillar as the man gave her a slight grin.

She opened her mouth to speak, but a blinding light cut her off and she felt herself falling. Kyojuro only grinned again as he held onto her tightly and she found herself laughing as the wind whipped their hair back.

Yes. The two of them would be just fine.

(x)

When the light cleared, Musashi and Kyojuro were both gone. Vanished without a trace.

No one was quite sure what had happened, but Oyakata-sama had explained that Musashi had most likely been Spirited Away. Shuten had been less than helpful in saying that Kyojuro forced himself to follow. Tanjirou wasn't sure what exactly that meant, but nodded along with the rest, nonetheless.

(Neither Shinjuro nor Senjuro took it that well, and both had ended up throwing themselves into helping with the cleanup process with even more vigor.)

Speaking of Shuten Dōji, the Oni ruler was still around the Demon Slayers, happily hunting down any Demons who were still lingering around— and whatever else was out there. In truth, Tanjirou wasn't exactly sure _what_ happened, but between snippets of conversation that he had heard when the Oni, Oyakata-sama, and Himejima were talking, and what the other Pillars (in other words, Muichirou) had told him, it seemed as if all the Slayers who had gained the Marks were cured of the Curse.

Himejima himself was testament to that, as he was still alive and walking to the day— keeping tabs on Shuten whenever she was out and about.

Shuten had used something called a "Holy Grail" to do so, which had also saved a lot of people who had been on the brink of death. And apparently given Himejima the gift of sight.

Tanjirou wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but he was happy despite the fact that his chest clenched tightly when he thought about the two Pillars who had vanished, on top of the losses of Shinazugawa and Miss Shinobu.

Still, Shuten Dōji had mused that they were still alive, and so Tanjirou hoped that, wherever the two were, they were happy and living well together.

A call from his sister pulled the former Sun Breath Slayer from his thoughts and Tanjirou turned, grinning and running over to where she was. Standing with her was Senjuro, the boy smiling at Genya and Zenitsu's antics— the two arguing a bit behind them. Inosuke and Muichirou weren't too different further down the path while Aoi and Kano watched with varying looks of exasperation.

He spared one last glance towards the Demon Slayer Corps' graveyard, eyes softening before he turned, taking Kano's hand and the group continued down the path.

Eras come to an end and time continued on.

And he looked forwards to this next era of peace.

He would never forget the people who gave their lives up for them. He would never forget the kindness shown to him by the Corps.

Tanjirou smiled, squeezing Kano's hand and the girl smiled back at him.

Maybe one day, when he was old and gray, Kyojuro and Musashi would reappear, laughing and bantering between one another as if nothing had changed at all. They would be walking up the path, bruised and scuffed, but laughing and he would greet them with a warm smile and offer them a home to stay in if they didn't have one. He'd introduce them to his children and grandchildren when he could, and listen to the stories they told him of another world.

Or maybe the two of them would reappear sooner rather than later, as if they had just been on a long mission. They'd reconnect with the other Pillars, and dinner with the Rengoku family would be whole again. Maybe they'd get married and settle down in the former Flame Estate, now that the Corps was disbanded.

He didn't know, but he promised himself that he wouldn't forget them, no matter how much time had passed.

And when they did return, he would greet them with a smile and open armed kindness— like they had done for him and Nezuko.

(x)

It was funny, how everything worked. How the world worked and how magic did as well.

She had known that when she became a Servant, she had a limited window of time to stay where she had been— to stay with the family she had created for herself over three years. That time limit had been only a few hours, enough time to take down Muzan.

She would be sad to leave them all behind but she would continue to go wherever she was needed, where ever she was called to be. But she had never expected to be able to bring him with her.

Musashi landed— on her side— first, the breath getting knocked from her lungs as gravity dropped them on a hard, flat surface. If her shoulder hadn't been broken in the fight against Muzan, she was certain something was now. Then the cold set in slowly.

Ice, she had landed on a giant slab of ice.

And then in a mass of gold, white, red, and black, Kyojuro Rengoku fell next to her with a groan. Right on his back

Her vision had yet to clear fully from the bright shock of white that greeted them as they fell— they must have been sent to a northern area, if the ice was anything to go off of— but she forced herself to roll onto her back. Her shoulder protested, as did most of her injuries that she still had from fighting Muzan. Kyojuro's calloused hand brushed against her own and she glanced over to him, his form blurry as he lay on his back as well, chest heaving.

She brushed her fingers against his in return.

They could stand to rest a bit longer, right? Their injuries would make it hard to continue on casually, but they needed rest.

The sound of footsteps approaching made her tense a bit.

Maybe not, then.

She felt Kyojuro tense as well and in a flash, the two were on their feet— despite their protesting injuries— with their hands ready to draw their swords. Kyojuro only had his original one, his secondary one having been broken in the battle, but Shuten had been kind enough to give her the four she had thrown during the battle before they were Spirited Away. Her two hands were crossed over one another and hovering over her _Flame_ and _Wind_ blades.

Their movements startled a trio of kids before them, the ones who were walking up to the two of them— of the three, there were two with darker skin and hair, hair dressed in furs and blue colors with blue eyes while the other was bald and wearing oranges and yellows with blue tattoos in the shape of arrows decorated his skin.

Musashi and Kyojruo had fallen into battle-ready stances on instinct, with Musashi crouched low and ready to spring forwards and Kyojuro drawing up a breath in preparation to unleash his First Style as a warning attack. But they quickly dropped to more relax stances— or rather, Musashi stood— when they saw the three of them. They were just kids, and while neither of them underestimated children, the three of them looked more nervous and worried than anything. One of them stepped forwards, a club of sorts held out in a form of self-defense.

"Who are you?" the oldest boy asked, he was dressed in blue furs and his skin and hair dark, despite the blue eyes. "Fire benders?"

Fire benders. That wasn't a term she knew. A quick glance to Kyojuro was all she needed to know what he was thinking.

"My name is… Kyojuro, my family name is Rengoku," Kyojuro said, holding his hands up in a non-threatening way.

Musashi nodded. "And I'm Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobubu—!?" She winced as she bit her tongue. Even now, she still couldn't get it right. Laughing a bit and rubbing the back of her neck she shook her head. "Sorry, let's do that over! I'm Miyamoto, Musashi. And neither of us know what a firebender is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like I said, I have another chapter going up at the same time, and you can choose which ending you prefer as the BOTV canon. 
> 
> Edit: just to be clear, I will be writing a sequel eventually, but no time soon. So if you do want to see what happens in ending B then remember to pop back in when it’s posted, but if you’re happy with ending A then by all means
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and, while it won't be up immediately, I do have a few extra stories to join this series. Once again, thank you all so much for sticking around and reading this. I hope it was up to your expectations. I'll see you all around!


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